Sailor Moon: Solar Darkness, Shadow Light
by Mysterious Voice Guy
Summary: Immortal through rebirth, eternal by destiny. They are the Sailor Scouts, human embodiments of the stars, children of a cosmic balance between life and nonexistence. It has been so since the beginning... or has it? Does Zero Star yet have it's secrets? Th
1. Prologue

Immortal through rebirth,

Eternal by destiny,

They are the Sailor Soldiers, human embodiments of the stars

Children of a cosmic balance between life and nonexistence

It has been so since the beginning... or has it?

Does Zero Star yet have it's secrets? The Galaxy Cauldron beckons with the tale of it's origin, and a prophecy of what is yet to come.

  
  


Sailor Moon

Solar Darkness, Shadow Light

  
  


Disclaimer: I do not hold any rights to Sailor Moon or anything related to the genre. I am not making money off this story. If you truly don't know how fanfiction operates, do a web search and figure it out. I am not liable to be sued for anything in regards to this fic. If there is any discrepancy, e-mail me. Later, peoples!

  
  


Prologue: In the Galaxy Cauldron

  
  


"We do not fight for the sake of combat. Nor do we battle to ensure a future of battles... we battle to ensure a future of peace..."

"Then tell me, to what avail is it? If there will always be battles there can never be real peace. Somehow, something must end it. Only with conclusion can there be peace. How long must this dance last? If light is in conflict with darkness and darkness with light, then the removal of either can bring peace. Can you not see? Something must tip the scales, else the entire universe will eventually die without conclusion."

These two voices practically waged war within her mind as she stood on the shattered precipice, overlooking the cosmic gene pool known as the Galaxy Cauldron. The violent turbulence caused by the rush of epic power that resided in the now-volcanic dark pit was a whirlwind all about her, whipping her two long ribbons of hair behind her and pulling at her clothing. Yes, pulling; was the Galaxy Cauldron of Zero Star truly nothing more than a black hole with hell awaiting on the other side, and Chaos' phantom form in between? It seemed it could be little else. It's roaring power drew her inwards, but she knew, one way or the other, that this encounter would end within the Galaxy Cauldron's paradox framework.

"If light is in conflict with darkness and darkness with light, then the removal of either can bring peace. Can you not see? Something must tip the scales, else the entire universe will eventually die without conclusion."

The voice echoed in her head, the two sides of her deepest nature now pitted in conflict with each other. To save the universe... or her friends?

But she knew the truth. She just feared to accept it. Galaxia, Chaos, and Chibi Chibi had made it clear with the revelation knowledge they had imparted her in these last few moments, and her heart had translated the meanings together. Had she had the strength, she might have laughed. There was no choice to be made. Her heart, soul, origin, and destiny would not let her run from this place, and it was impossible for her to destroy the Galaxy Cauldron.

She could only... set it at peace. Whatever efforts she might take to destroy it would eventually conclude at that end. Even Chaos itself was powerless to suppress the cycle of the galaxy. Two opposite magnetic forces do not destroy each other, but are drawn by nature into a bond that can only be delayed and withheld by distance. She now understood.

Eternal Sailor Moon, harnessing the power of her heart and her love for her friends, leapt into the darkness. As the chosen agents of Light and Dark collided, the law of the universes took control, and balance and lives were restored...

...for how long?

  
  


Standing upon that selfsame locale in that exact same epoch of time, Sailor Cosmos' realization of the scene was all the deeper. Long ago, she herself had made the error of running from the facts of this place, what it stood for, what it was meant to do. Somehow, though, by returning in the form of a child to a past she had once lived, she had managed to give Eternal Sailor Moon the courage and power of heart to do what, previously neither of them would have dared. In that, the future was established.

'... The Galaxy Cauldron.' Pondered she, staring down into the depth of the now still galactic orifice. 'Where hopes and dreams are born... but...' She looked aside, a long-dwelled upon realization blossoming with dark hue in her mind. '...But no; though it give the potential of hope through rebirth of Star Seeds and Sailor Crystals... it offers no hope of it's own.' She then returned her gaze to the failed star of darkness. 'It is a seal of balance, one for which the universe would be greatly availed and greatly destroyed to be rid of. Forever, or as long as a universe lives, will this dark genesis both uphold and defy hopes, it's defiance on a scale far deeper than it's guardianship. If only... if only the cycle could be broken without causing the end of the birth of stars...'

But she knew it was a futile conjecture. Like a necessary curse would the Galaxy Cauldron remain, feeding off peace and love and joy and in return prolonging life, a life that, once one realizes the ramifications of a place such as this, could have no lasting hope. Because of this place there would always be battles. What was the difference between the Galaxy Cauldron and a tyrannical regime that stole from it's people all choice and all liberty and all that was sacred to the heart in return for 'protection'? The Cauldron prolonged life at the expense of peace, as did any totalitarian human governing system. Yet, unlike an oppressor, there was no way to throw off the Galaxy Cauldron. Surely, Sailor Cosmos concluded, were all Star Seeds and Sailor Crystals from all eras to be cast into the Galaxy Cauldron, the two forces, equal by birthright, would totally neutralize one another, and the galaxy, perhaps even the universe, would cease to be.

There, in the aloneness of that both sanctified and desecrated place, she stood overlooking the brink. The sheer... hopelessness, endlessness of it drove her to seek out another method, some ...way by which all could be made right. Those voices from so many years gone past echoed back to her. Darkness, by definition, could not exist without light and, surely, light would have no definition without darkness. Yet the two could never co-inhabit the same sphere; where there was light there could not also be darkness, and likewise vice-versa. Could it be that this monstrous, terrible balance had to be sustained in order for life to exist, that of all things the existence of evil had to be upheld even if only in the hands of nature's own law?

Could there truly never be a world without death, pain, suffering, fear, and all the other fruits of the tree of darkness? Would battles never end?

She sighed, realizing that her purpose here had been fulfilled as best as was possible. Conclusion was out of her reach. There was no way she could find, here of all places, to end the evils she despised so much.

She would become the guardian of this place, from now until, at whatever time in the future, eternity met with obscurity, or, she prayed, when a way was found to do the impossible.

Until the end of battles...

  
  


From beyond the scroll of the universe of Sailor Soldiers, he had come. He had felt it, strong and powerful. The call of destiny, of a purpose interwoven with his very being. He had felt it, yes, but also heard it in his dreams, as he had often. The voice of the one who called him struck a cord so deep in his heart that it could not be ignored, and he would therefore go to wherever that voice called him if only for the sake of hearing it again.

Upon arriving, he had sensed something else as well; a dark, evasive, intelligent, ether wind that foreshadowed the presence of great evil. He had quickly traced it to it's source, but had found himself almost too late to witness firsthand the miraculous eruption of power that took place within the fortress star. A power, in fact, that had frozen both mind and body in their tracks with the sheer force of it's motion and momentum and luminescence; only after recovering from the initial reaction did his heart skip several beats at the realization of the magnitude and output. Never before had he sensed a power so great, as if the universe itself had fueled the eruption. Particles of blinding light, he could hardly know what lay within, streaked in thousands and ten thousands from a point of origin that, at that moment, had been vastly out of his range of sight.

Only later had he come to know what those comets of pure surreal power contained, and only by careful surveillance from a distance had he learned of the place from which they had issued forth and, early on, of the guardian of the locale, against whom he had more than once been forced to preoccupy himself with keeping his presence hidden from her. It was hardly an easy task, considering the vast power of light which radiated from nearly every facet of her being; a less observant person would likely have deemed her an archangel of the highest order immediately upon being in her extended presence, and even though at length he could safely assure himself she was a mortal being, there was a kind of half truth to the archangelic appearance. Needless to say, she had the stereotypical wings to match the occupation, and the almost celestial powers that beamed forth as blinding daylight from her, at least, to those who could sense what deep powers she truly possessed, did seem to place her on the scale of some vastly superior guardian. But he had encountered creatures of similar, and in some rare cases even vaster power, and only questioned her humanity for a moment, if that. Yet the power that radiated from her was hardly of the level of that contained by the common stripe of humanity; nay; she, like himself, was doubtless of extra-ordinary origin, and likely held within her being a far greater power source than flesh and blood alone could afford. 'Of course, the rules do change a bit from universe to universe', he reminded himself. And all things are possible, even if not probable. He noted though that this woman's power, although obviously contained and nowhere near possessing the explosive and drastic qualities of that moment, greatly resembled the energies he'd detected during what he'd dubbed 'The Star Explosion', for lack of a better term. He had wondered, at length, if she herself wasn't somehow the product of that moment transfused into a human form, even though he'd felt those energies scatter across the distant star scape.

But, of course, most of his conjecture was futile without further evidence. He remained at the star only long enough to gather what information could be obtained; perhaps, at most, and hour. An hour of hiding himself from her detection while the faint echo of his powers and perceptions searched out what could be learned of this place. During this period she had thrice nearly detected him, and likely felt a distant inclination that someone was about, but he was not a specter for nothing. With great skill he had manipulated the fields of both light and dark energy emitted by the swirling vortex that seemed the centerforce of this place, keeping his own powers invisible by their use. A clever contrivance, but clever or not she still nearly uncovered him. After learning what he could he had stealthily made his exit, yet he could not be sure if she truly had identified a living presence besides herself in the star fortress or not. At least, if she had, she took no action to prevent his departure. Once back in the free folds of open space, he breathed far easier. Yet what he'd learned while at the star fortress occupied his mind and kept him on his guard.

He knew one thing for certain: events would soon unfold and reveal his purpose for coming to this universe. After all, they always did...

  
  
  
  
  
  


(Author's note: Whatd'ya think? I don't usually write Smoon, and it's been awhile since I've worked on a fanfic, but I think that it's cool the way this story's just kinda flowing outta my brain and all or, more accurately, writing itself directly from my creative energies with little or no forethought as to how things are gonna turn out. But, as always, I hardly continue something if I don't have an audience so... please read and respond!, that is, if you care to see further chapters. Chapter one is in it's early stages right now and should be out soon [I wrote the prologue in a sitting, so a chapter shouldn't take overlong either.] If you enjoyed this fic please, out of common decency and a respect for the golden rule, post a reply. Doesn't matter how long, just let me know what you think!)


	2. Beginnings of War

Chapter 1: Beginnings of War

  
  


The city of Crystal Tokyo sparkled in the morning sun, catching the colors of sunrise in the surfaces of it's many crystalline constructs and metallic surfaces. The glowing orb of blazing radiance, as it rose from behind the distant peaks, cast eminent rays of it's vast natural glory for all the world to see, bringing life and bidding all who saw it to arise and look to the future.

How ironic, she thought, that a giant fireball could be an ingredient for life. Neo Queen Serenity stared out from the curtained balcony of her chamber, watching the sunrise. For her, the beauty of the sunrise had always been an omen of peace that brought her relief and refresh. She closed her eyes, a deep, slightly worried, and altogether inwardly searching look in her features. She had always liked sunrises and sunsets. But lately, her thoughts had been turning in much a different direction; Chaos,... and the Galaxy Cauldron. She now found it bitterly ironic that something so capable of causing death, like the sun, was imperative to the survival of millions of people, and it's removal just as deadly as if it were to come too close and burn the planet to a cinder. For Neo Queen Serenity, the comparison between life-giving daystar and the Galaxy Cauldron was all too easy to conjure.

She sighed and diverted her gaze from the brilliant colors. Was she obsessed, perhaps becoming mentally unstable? Had the unsolvable riddle of the Galaxy Cauldron driven her to see it's phantom in everything? Or had the soul-wrenching facts of that moment eternally put a mark of poison in her soul, to eat away at her and destroy her from the inside out? Perhaps Chaos had inadvertently gotten a far greater means of revenge than could ever have been achieved by destroying her. The very fact that a potential venue of ultimate good had been in sight and yet totally out of reach... would it drive her mad? She had hoped all those years ago that her life, her marriage to Darien, the raising of little Rinni, the forging of a better system for planet earth,... she had hoped that all of that would erase from her memory that fact, but it could not. An ancient riddle, inscribed only in a forgotten language, hidden in the distant depths of the universe and destroyed by the mere fact of looking at it would have been easier to solve than the infernal puzzle of the Galaxy Cauldron!! The potential to set the universe free of evil had been within her sight, and she had been incompetent of the task! On one hand, she could have truly done nothing differently and still saved the lives of everyone she cared about. On the other, she would never forgive herself for what she hadn't been able to, and still would never be able to do.

Perhaps, she wondered, it was her own arrogance that held her in bondage to this memory. Who was she to believe she could return all evil to within Pandora's Box and close the lid, while leaving hope unscathed? Had she truly begun to consider herself the champion of love and justice, in such a manner as to believe it was her responsibility to undo every wrong ever done? Noble as such a sentiment sounds, when lined up with history it's pure lunacy! Sailor Soldier and queen as she was, she was no God, nor capable of filling such an office, nor understanding the workings and plannings of a divine mind with omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, and ultimate authority. She sighed to herself as she walked gracefully down the halls of the crystal castle towards the breakfast hall. Perhaps, in her search for justice, she had failed to recognize her own limitations.

She wished deeply for the Galaxy Cauldron to leave her thoughts.

  
  


A dark form floated effortlessly among the sea of stars, looking down upon the infamous composite of land and sea, flora and fauna, known as earth. He gazed from a distance, his sea-green eyes contemplative and, somewhat, pensive. In every universe he'd been to, the trouble had always revolved around this world. He'd been born on an alternate earth in a different universe, and had seen through his travels just how drastically the world could differ. This earth was no exception: even at this distance he could make out the gleam of some grand construct in the area of a group of large islands directly adjacent to one of the mainlands.

"But why am I here?" He wondered out loud, his voice bearing the vigor and strength of youth yet with a solidity of spirit that belonged to either the strongest warrior or the gentlest friend. It was hardly the first time he'd been summoned into a universe without instruction or guidance for his quest, but generally by now something should have transpired to explain his purpose. For almost a year after his investigations of Zero Star, he'd traveled in search of his purpose, visiting places and learning of this universe's past, especially in relation to earth's solar system and Zero Star. Then he'd merely summoned a discrete time gate and arrived in this era, sensing his purpose might be waiting for him here. Yet he'd avoided human contact wherever possible, and when contact had been unavoidable he'd gone under his faithful alias Specter. It was not yet time for him to be revealed, he knew that by intuition, subtle knowledge; and as for the alias, it was as true about him as any parent-given name could have been. He was a specter, a phantom, a wanderer on the scale of entire universes, with powers and skills to match. Many times, he had never been known except by that name. Specter; it suited him, rather well in fact.

"What is my purpose in this world?" Wondered he once again, refocusing his mind on the query at hand. There was no need of a firefighter if there wasn't a fire, and what use of law enforcement without crime? Likewise, he felt out of place in a universe at peace,... or at least it seemed at peace upon the surface. The greatest dangers, he reminded himself, often arise from within.

Suddenly, his attention was diverted as he sensed, distant now but getting closer, an energy. He turned 170 degrees and soon a distant sparkle of light caught his attention. He could sense that it stopped moving as soon as he saw it, and the sparkle vanished a moment later likewise. Stretching his perception, he soon realized he had detected not just one, but several strong energy signatures in close proximity. He reached for and was prepared at any moment to draw forth his long, elegant, but swift and deadly katana; several strong energy signatures, but not nearly, not even close to as strong as his own hidden maximum. Be they friend or foe, it was quite obvious they had noticed he had detected him. Only the exceptionally powerful travel in the deadly void of space without conventional means of doing such, like spaceships or other devices. And those power levels proved at once he was dealing with something superior. With a slight burst of his own energy he soon soared through the emptiness towards those distant signatures, his long black cape whipping about at random behind him. His gut instincts informed him, perhaps prophetically, that someone seemed to have come looking for him.

  
  


The moment she'd felt it, she'd bolted up in her seat, dropping the breakfast roll that had been in her hand. Her eyes went wide as her mind made sense of what she'd detected.

Incredible energy, almost like nothing she'd ever sensed, flaring violently just outside earth's orbit. One glance into Darien's eyes confirmed that they had both detected it; there was no ignoring the dark, intense power which had hit both their minds like a tidal wave. In a flurry of activity they both rushed out of the room and into the hallways.

"Whatever that power was, we need to get earth's defenses ready immediately." Darien stated, veering off down a hallway. He stopped for a split second and his eyes met hers over his shoulder. "Rally the Sailor Scouts. We may need them all too soon."

Serena nodded. As she raced down the hallways, she became greatly relieved that they'd worked out plans for emergencies far in advance, and when she arrived in the throne room all the Sailor Scouts were gathered and ready. Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus stood by the doorway, and quickly formed a defensive circle around her as she went inside. Within, Pluto stood with Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, Chibimoon, and the Amazon Quartet.

"Mommy, what's happening?" Rinni inquired, a scared but nonetheless brave look in her eyes. She quickly rushed up and clung tightly to her mother as Serena did her best to try and comfort her.

"It's ok, Rinni. We're going to be alright. Remember your training as a Sailor Scout; now is not the time to panic."

Rinni nodded pensively. Darien, moments later, entered the throne room as well, having transformed into his armor and having his sword ready at his side.

"From what I've been able to learn, sensor satellites and offworld telescopes know just as much as we do." He further explained. "There's a great deal of interference that was generated by whatever caused that energy. There's no way to tell exactly what it was, only that whatever created it was too small to be picked up on instruments. Every available spaceship is being been launched and all earth-based defenses are on high alert. Our safest bet is to get to the underground shelter and wait to see what happens."

Serena nodded, and she and the others quickly went in the direction of the underground shelter. En route, a soldier intercepted them, stating he had important information.

"Tactical just informed us of an object of some kind is falling through the atmosphere, and they're detecting low levels of the same energy from it as the burst. They say there's reason to believe, because of size and composition, that it might be human in shape."

"Keep your men on full alert." Darien instructed. "If an enemy is approaching, we need to be ready. If it doesn't start slowing down, have tactical figure out where it's going to land an evacuate the area. We take no chances!"

"Aye sir!" The soldier quickly ran off to relay King Darien's instructions.

"This looks bad." Uranus stated needlessly.


	3. Encounter

Chapter 2: Encounter

  
  


The brightness awoke him, some illumination coming from directly overhead. He hesitated in opening his eyes, but eventually did anyway. His head spun and he could hardly focus on any one object for too long, but he was able to figure out that he was in some kind of a room, laid down on what resembled a medical cot with a white blanket and sterile gray coverer draped over him. The brightness shining down on him, a strange red glow that began to fade just as soon as it appeared, seemed to be coming from some device that was placed over his head and torso, about the same length as the upper part of him and with a strange rectangular shape. He looked away from the light and saw two people dressed in white clothes talking in the hallway outside the door. As this caught his attention, he strained to listen.

"... and to be honest, I'm surprised he's alive. Tests confirm an almost inhuman level of protective factors in his body, but that doesn't begin to explain this." The man pulled out what looked like a piece of paper and showed it to the other man. "Reports from the scene indicate serious loss of blood, several impact related injuries, but considering that his clothing burned up coming through the atmosphere I'm surprised he wasn't deep-fried when the search teams found him. Clothing just simply isn't that less durable and resistant than biological tissue; we're dealing with someone who distinctly isn't human, not by the medical definition."

"Are you sure? I mean, the Sailor Scouts have capabilities that would easily let them pass through the atmosphere unharmed, or a supernova at that. And chances are that he's the one who was responsible for the energy burst that sent everybody into a frenzy."

The man with the paper shook his head.

"Energy like that, if properly employed, wouldn't have left his clothes as vapor. He wasn't unconscious halfway through entering the atmosphere, Dale; he was unconscious going in, and that's my professional opinion. Have you seen the kid yet?"

"No, actually I haven't."

"One good look at him and you'll understand what I'm talking about. Not only do his skin samples resemble nothing I've ever looked at before, but you should see his hair."

"His hair??"

"Yeah, take a peek if you want."

As the men glanced at him, their eyes widened, especially the man with the paper.

"... holy...!-This is impossible!" The man's voice was hushed. He glanced nervously at his companion and whispered something.

"W-what? No, you're joking!" The other man responded. "He couldn't have been! Nobody breaks out of a coma in an hour, no matter what planet he's from."

"I'm tellin' ya Dale, the kid was as out as a rock last time we scanned him." The man paused, realizing that the patient was listening to his every word. He walked into the room, putting away his paper as he went, and came to stand next to the bedside. "Well... I'm surprised to see that you're awake. How do you feel?"

"... Where am I?"

"Nephlite Memorial Hospital,... and... I'd recommend against trying to go anywhere. There's guards in every hallway."

"Why?"

The doctor stared blankly at him for a long moment. The sincerity in the teenage boy's voice surprised him.

"Well,... needless to say, you gave us quite a scare earlier, or, at least, we think you did. Perhaps you can help us understand that a little better."

His nod showed confusion, and after a minute's pause the doctor continued.

"I'm doctor Matthews, and this is my colleague Dale Jacobson. What's your name?"

There was a long pause, during which the boy's expression shifted into total unreserved confusion.

"I... I... I don't... know."

"You... don't know your own name?"

"No... should I?"

Once again, the sincerity stunned doctor Matthews, and he turned and looked at doctor Jacobson with a questioning look. The other doctor returned it. Matthews turned his eyes back to the boy, a kind of half fascinated, half confused look in his features.

"Listen... we're going to run some tests on you later on to try to help figure out why you don't know your name, and hopefully a few other things. You're recovering rather well for someone who's sustained so many injuries, but you'll need to rest. I'll check up on you every few hours or so. OK?"

The boy nodded, and Matthews returned the gesture. He then walked over and rolled the device that was above his patient's upper body off to the side, and spent a few minutes accessing the computer controls and scrolling through data. He printed out the results of the scan and tucked the papers under his arm as he and Jacobson left the room.

The boy closed his eyes, but his thoughts kept him awake. His name... why didn't he know his name? He tried to remember something, anything before this room, anything about the injuries doctor Matthews had eluded to... but nothing came to him. Nothing. He could look around the room and identify objects, knew that the color of the wall was white, same with the ceiling, and he knew correctly that he didn't like the way it felt when he moved,... but other than that, nothing.

  
  


"Amnesia,... but there's no basis for it." Matthews stated, the two doctors walking down the hallways of the hospital, conversing as they went. "I've seen it before, and he not only has the primary symptom but did you notice the way he acted? I don't think he was faking Dale."

"Neither do I. Are you sure there's no basis? I mean, c'mon, we know that his body didn't absorb the entire contact force when he hit the ground. Maybe some of those head injuries are the culprits."

Matthews waved it off, reading over the results in his hand.

"X-rays and N-testing says the kid has a skeletal composition like titanium somehow. Skull was totally undamaged despite the fall, and considering he was found in the center of a crater twelve feet deep, that tells ya something. We're looking at a superhuman here, Dale, not some kid who got lucky. And of course that bring up questions of it's own."

"Yeah, I've got a question for you. If his clothing burned up, why didn't that neon-blue hair of his, eh?"

"That may be the single best question I've heard all day, buddy." He paused for a moment, looking down at his readouts. "Well, this is interesting. The ESS seems to indicate he's got two different types of energy, and one of em's so complex even the computer was drawing up blanks. And get this," He showed Jacobson a picture of the scan. "Most of it's centralized in one area, and it all reads as residual."

"What do you mean 'residual'?"

"Well, the sensor didn't stay active that long, no need for it to, but the data it compiled seems to indicate that the more complex form of energy is slowly losing strength, whereas the less complex one is at least maintaining it's current levels, maybe slowly rising, no way to be sure."

"So what does that mean?"

"... I can't be sure at the moment, but something tells me we'll find out over time. Both energies are at relatively non-dangerous levels, so I don't think we should panic just yet. Heck, that scanner in there probably has more energy that he does right now. I'm starting to wonder if he was actually the source of that energy burst or not."

"That implies that someone or something else was involved. Neo Queen Serenity isn't going to like that notion."

"Safety first. If the truth means we're not in the clear just yet, then I'd rather worry everybody for nothing than let earth get hit by a sneak attack because our leaders think that the only person involved is comatose at the moment, which he no longer is by some small miracle."

Reaching the hospital's primary computer hub, and after showing his ID to the guards in order to get entrance, Dr. Matthews quickly but thoroughly compiled and explained all the computer data on the mysterious patient, not failing to add in his own observations and effects. He quickly transmitted the data, knowing it wouldn't be long before Neo Queen Serenity was made aware of what had happened. Then, on a whim, he re-checked the latest reports concerning the location at which his patient was found. What he read amazed him afresh, and provided an interesting depth and perspective into who and what his patient might be.

The reports from the search teams now stated, which they had somehow failed to mention earlier, that a katana, it's sheath, and a strange silver pendant with four different-colored hexagonal gems in it aligned to form a star. All completely intact, and with no signs of having been torched by the atmosphere like the boy had. The key link, the reports now stated, between the boy and these items, was that none of the materials could be identified, as well as that they'd been retrieved in the same vicinity as the boy himself, and further, both the sword and the pendant seemed to have energy signatures different from anything ever seen before.

  
  


"I've made up my mind." Neo Queen Serenity stated suddenly, putting aside the many reports she'd been reading. Darien looked up at her, he himself busy with reports as well, with a look that asked what she meant. Serena clarified her statement. "I wish to go see the boy for myself."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Darien asked, putting aside the stack of papers. "Serena, maybe it's best to let the doctors finish examining him before you make any quick decisions like that."

"Darien..." Her voice took on a caring, yet sensitive tone. "After all these years, both as a Scout and as a queen and as a mother, if there's one thing I've learned to do, it's trust my heart. And after all these years and everything we've been through together, I thought you had done the same for both our hearts."

"Of course I have." Darien replied soothingly. "And, as much as I might think that it may not be entirely safe, I'm not saying that you shouldn't go, if you truly feel you need to. But we can't rush into anything regarding this situation. Give it a day, maybe two if something important comes up. If you can wait until we can be more certain it's safe,... then I'll gladly accompany you."

"Oh Darien, you're always looking out for me." She sighed, glancing back at the papers. "I agree; two days, and if it's safe we'll go see this strange visitor for ourselves. I want to make sure that he's not a threat, and try perhaps to figure out where he might have come from." Then, looking over the papers, a thought occurred to her. "Darien,... does this boy remind you of anyone?"

"... Not specifically. Why, what are you thinking?"

"This entire mystery around him,... it reminds me of when we first met Hotrau." She looked Darien in the eyes with a gentle kind of pleading look that she knew her husband couldn't ignore. "How about if I have Saturn and Pluto have a meeting with the boy, to get their opinion of him?"

Darien shrugged in surrender. He knew when he was beat; Serena had a way of getting her way using the right methods of persuasion. He considered his wife an expert in the field.

"If you think it best, then by all means." He looked at her with a playful smile and laughing sigh. "I never could deny that beautiful face."

"Darien, you're so good to me, putting up with my constant activities and silly whims." She smiled back, a kind of 'I-know-you-know-you're-beat, so-just-laugh-with-me' smile. And, truth be told, Darien did laugh, at his own amazing ability to cave in to her and her amazing ability to make him enjoy it. They both laughed, a kind of laugh that enjoys best the company of the one you love.

  
  


The next day, Nephlite Memorial Hospital was a flurry of activities. Word had leaked out that Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto were coming for an interview with the boy, and everybody wanted everything to be totally ready and spotless. The boy was given a fresh set of clothes to change into, simple white shirt and pants, including some socks and undergarments. Dr. Matthews spent most of his time compiling his data and making a few last-minute observations and tests. 2:00 rolled around slowly, but eventually came anyway.

Pluto and Saturn were greeted at the door by Dr. Matthews, who explained that he'd been placed in charge of monitoring the boy and helping him recover. He led them down the halls to where the boy's room was, along the way sharing his findings.

"There's no doubt in my mind that his amnesia is authentic, so unfortunately he won't be able to do much answering of questions for you." He explained. "The mystery is that I still haven't isolated the cause, but I have some interesting theories if you'd indulge me."

"By all means. We were sent here to learn about the boy, so anything you could tell us would be appreciated." Pluto stated. She carried with her a small bundle, wrapped in cloth, holding it loosely under one arm.

"Well, when we first got him in here yesterday, we did an Energy Sensitive Scan, or an ESS, to determine if his was the same energy that had been detected outside the atmosphere. Of course, the military was greatly interested in the results, as has been everyone. But my findings sofar have been inconclusive because of two types of energy in his body."

"Two?" Saturn inquired, intrigued.

"Yes, and I've begun to suspect that one is a foreign influence because it's fading rapidly, and because it has a highly complex design, one that interferes on some levels with certain neural functions. I've been unable to prove it, but I think this foreign energy may be the cause of his amnesia. The other energy, which I'm quite certain is his own natural power, has begun to show signs that it's beginning to stabilize and increase. Interestingly enough,... and I almost hesitate to bring this up, but it looks to me like the foreign energy also interferes with his natural power, draining it and feeding off it, almost as if it was designed to do so."

"But that means someone else is involved, someone who was trying to weaken him." Saturn deduced.

"My theory at the moment is that someone, wielding whatever the source of this energy is, attacked him. For what purpose I don't know, but the trauma caused by it has been rather severe. One thing I will point out, though, is that if it was an attack, his attacker was prepared vastly ahead of time in order to do something like this."

Pluto nodded; it wasn't hard to see the logic involved in that conclusion. She made a mental note to inform Neo Queen Serenity of this doctor's theory. They reached the room where the boy was, and the soldiers stood at attention and let them pass, closing the door behind them. He was sitting up in bed; it looked like he might have been looking out the window earlier, but now turned to meet the eyes of his visitors. He had short, neon-blue hair and a very clean shaven appearance, with gentle sea-green eyes and a muscular but not massive build. He had bandages wrapped around his forehead and left hand, with more likely covered by his clothing. He looked to be no older than 19 years old, but it was hard to tell.

"Well, good to see you're up and about." Dr. Matthews said, speaking to the boy. "How do you feel?"

"Better, thanks." The boy responded, then turned to look at Pluto and Saturn. His gaze was inquisitive, but confused at the same time, like as if the entire world didn't make sense.

"These are the visitors I told you about, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn. They're here from Neo Queen Serenity to talk to you and see if they can't help better understand you." Dr Matthews explained. The boy nodded, a kind of half reluctant nod, like as if he wasn't sure why there should be all this attention on him.

"Does he have a name, something we can call him by?" Saturn inquired.

"Well, as of yet, no. Because of his amnesia, he has no memory of who he is, and therefore we're hesitant to try and give him a name in hopes that his memory will start returning."

"... I like Evan." The boy suddenly interjected. All eyes focused quickly on him. "One of the doctors who came by earlier had that name and... I don't know why... but it caught my attention."

Dr. Matthews was silent for a long moment, a curious kind of look in his eyes as he looked at the boy. Sailor Pluto's gaze snapped him out of it, and he quickly shared what he was thinking.

"I think what we have here is a non-memory familiarity. This kind of thing is essential to beginning the process of remembering who he is; it's possible 'Evan' is the name of someone he was once closely associated with, or, more likely than not, his own name. The memories in the brain may not be accessible, but certain conditioned responses, like familiarity to one's own name, are still at work despite." He turned and looked at the boy. "It's quite likely that your name is Evan. Is that what you'd like to be called?"

There was a moment of silence, then the boy nodded. Dr. Matthews smiled, and Evan smiled gently back, even though that confused look never left his eyes. Saturn, Pluto, and Matthews quickly sat down in some of the chairs that had been brought into the room for this occasion, and the interview began. It was now that Pluto unwrapped her package, revealing the notorious silver amulet and katana, sheathed. Evan's gaze quickly locked onto the two objects, although the confused look remained.

"Do these seem familiar to you?" Pluto inquired. She picked up the amulet and showed it to him, it's four gems sparkling in the sun light cast by the window. One, the topmost, was reminiscent of a diamond, but had a slight white tint in it's colors, the one below it and to it's left was a deep sapphire like color, resembling a perfectly shaped shard of deep blue ice in it's tone and texture, to the right of the blue gem was another, this one a strange medley of fire colors, like as if someone had locked away a sunset within it's crystalline core, and the final gem placed directly between and below the blue and red gems, was a dark purple color, even darker than amethyst or quartz, and seemed to have a tone of black and dark blue mixed with it's deep rich hue. The entire object seemed to be made of some silver metal into which the gems had been cast, and it was threaded with a long black piece of material that would easily allow it to hang about it's wearer's neck a few inches below the collarbone. Dr. Matthews watched with a nervous caution as Pluto put the pendant down and pulled the katana part of the way out of it's sheath, just enough to expose a section of the metal. It was a dark steel color, with an odd, gentle red tint in the metal's coloration. The handle, ornately designed, was primarily black with silver linings and trim.

The boy Evan looked at the two objects for a long moment, as if his entire mind was caught up in their presence. He nodded slowly.

"I don't know why... but I feel like I know them from somewhere." He said, referencing the pendant and sword. "... I... just don't know where...I don't remember anything..."

"Give it time." Sailor Saturn encouraged, a gentle and encouraging smile accompanying her words. He looked up at her and nodded.

  
  


"From what I saw of him, your majesty, he seems completely harmless." Saturn stated. She and Pluto had returned to the palace shortly after their interview with the boy now known as Evan, and both now strolled down the halls alongside Neo Queen Serenity, talking as they went. "Although I did sense a form of darkness in his power. Not totally dark, not evil, but just... the word that came to my mind was 'shadow'. He seemed confused and maybe a bit afraid, but not defensive or evasive in the least. Also, there was an interesting development while we were there that may be of some importance."

"Go on." Neo Queen Serenity urged, listening attentively to everything Saturn was saying.

"Well, apparently some time before we got there, the boy encountered a doctor with the first name Evan and has since adopted the name as his own, because he felt... well, the way the head doctor put it was a 'non-memory familiarity', and that it was very possible that 'Evan' is his real name."

"He also stated a similar non-memory familiarity with the pendant and katana." Pluto stated. "And I've been doing my own scans on both objects, and have reason to believe that they have been in his possession."

"What was your evaluation of him as a person, Pluto?" Neo Queen Serenity inquired. Pluto paused for a moment before responding.

"Difficult to say, but the one thing that stands out to me is his sincerity. All and all, he's responding to his amnesia the way anyone would,... but the fact that he's a newcomer to our world may also be playing a part in his confusion, if indeed he has never before now been to earth. There are so many unknown about this child that it's hard to draw up an accurate estimate of who he is and what he's about. I personally don't feel I have enough information to be making many conclusions about him."

"But what we do know is mostly embodied in the sword and the pendant." Neo Queen Serenity interjected her own thoughts. "If all our assumptions about him are right, then he has great powers as well as deep-locked secrets... but I think it unlikely that he is an enemy. Certainly he is not now, because of his amnesia." She paused for a long moment, and when she at last spoke it was with some subtle undertone of intrigue and inventiveness. She looked each of the two Sailor Scouts in the eye before she spoke. "Saturn, Pluto, I just had a clever idea..."


	4. Adoption

Chapter 3: Adoption

  
  


If the hospital had been in a frenzy when Pluto and Saturn had visited, it was absolutely getting turned upside-down today. Word had leaked out, as it often does, that Neo Queen Serenity herself, along with an unknown number of the Sailor Soldiers and, the rumors stressed this part, King Darien too, with her. And, the rumors furthered, she was here to see the boy now known as Evan. After all, the common mind deduced immediately, and correctly, what else would she be coming for? The boy had been the highlight of the hospital since his arrival, and many people had correctly guessed, days or hours it mattered not, in advance that a face-to-face meeting between the esteemed queen and the enigmatic patient was inevitable. But there was still a surprised hush that fell when, with King Darien, Sailors Pluto and Saturn, and Princess Rini, Neo Queen Serenity entered the hospital. Of course, a detachment of the royal guard was present, but in slim numbers, perhaps two or three soldiers at most. It was as if, and in many cases it was the case, that the moment a human ear heard her footsteps that person froze where they stood or quickly moved to the sides and watched with awestruck silence as she passed by, as if they were hardly breathing. Guards, positioned at different intervals in the hallways, straightened up and saluted nobly as the royal entourage passed. At one point, while passing a nurse who looked like she'd seen a ghost, Neo Queen Serenity calmly made inquiry as to the whereabouts of a Dr. Jason Matthews, and the nurse, after recovering from her initial paleness and surprise, anxiously agreed to locate Dr. Matthews and have him meet her at Evan's room. After a short distance more of hallway and several more surprised people, they at last came to a room with two guards on each side of the door, doubtless Evan's room. The guards saluted and quickly opened the door for their queen and her group, who nodded and stepped inside.

The boy was as she'd read of him: short neon-blue hair that seemed strangely natural yet doubtlessly abnormal for the common breed of humanity, deep gentle sea-green eyes, a well-defined but not overdone build, and a confused look about him that spoke volumes of but doubtless only a fraction about the shapeless disorientation that was going on inside his mind. He looked up, sitting upright in his bed, at these new visitors with a strangely sincere confusion, almost as if his eyes were saying 'can you make sense of it all'?

"So, you must be Evan." Neo Queen Serenity began, then introduced herself and her group. "I am Neo Queen Serenity. I know you've already met my friends Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto. This is my husband King Darien and our daughter Princess Rini."

The boy nodded, recognizing Saturn and Pluto with a gentle smile and then extending it to the others.

"It's nice to meet you. I've heard much about you. Is it true you made this city?"

She smiled. Saturn and Pluto had been right; the boy had a depth of sincerity, almost like a little child, but different. Unafraid to ask questions that, to anyone else, might have seemed silly, yet had a definite ring of truth to them, and it was almost as if he somehow conveyed an echo of his innocent spirit with each word. It seemed he knew nothing of malice, or greed, or of titles or positions except that he held a simple respect for everyone he came across, playing no favorites and somehow vastly aware that he was a visitor in a world he did not know.

"Not on my own, but yes. How do you feel?"

"A lot better than before, when I first woke up here. Dr. Matthews tells me my injuries are healing quickly."

"And your memory?" Darien inquired, trying not to sound invasive but not doing a very good job. Evan didn't even seem to notice; perhaps the concept of invasiveness was totally foreign in the midst of his simplicity and innocence of mind. It was as if he had no regard for self, not that he had no concept of himself as a person, but that ego and it's sensitivities were totally devoid in him.

"Dr. Matthews tells me that I'll remember things about myself eventually, but..." He looked aside, a strange look in his eye, perhaps an even deeper confusion. "... But I can't remember anything. Maybe I just don't know how. It's... strange."

"Really? You don't know anything?" Rini piped in, her childlike curiosity getting the better of her. Serena leveled a stern look at her child, but her attention was diverted almost that same moment by Evan's kindhearted smile.

"It's ok, I don't mind her question." He paused for a minute, putting together his thoughts. "Well, I know some things, like what a window is and what blue and red and other colors are, but some of the things I don't know yet are where I was before this hospital or what brought me here. Or why I can't remember."

"I heard you fell from outer space." Rini stated, giggling in a silly manner. Evan tilted his head slightly, not quite understanding what she meant.

"What's outer space?"

"It's where the stars are; well, actually, it's the blackness in-between the stars."

For the first time that day, a profoundly amazed look came over the boy called Evan, and he glanced out his window up towards the sky.

"The stars? The ones I saw last night? I'm from there?"

"Actually, we aren't entirely sure." Serena interjected, getting Evan's attention again. "The only way we can truly answer the question of where you're from is if your memory returns. I'd like to help you do that." She glanced at Darien, who was giving her a semi-confused look, and she returned it with a subtle 'trust-me, I-know-what-I'm-doing' look, then turned her attention back towards Evan. "Once doctor Matthews says you're well enough, I'd like you to come and stay with us at the Crystal Palace. I think, given enough time, perhaps we can help your memory to return. Would you like that?"

He nodded almost completely without hesitation, jumping at the chance to understand these mysteries about himself, and then made certain to amply thank Neo Queen Serenity for her generosity. A few moments later, Dr. Matthews entered the room, immediately apologizing for being so late to such an important meeting. Neo Queen Serenity interrupted him with the proposal of her idea that Evan come stay at the palace, and for a long moment the doctor was absolutely baffled silent and stunned by the request.

"... Well actually, he's recovering so fast that, if you wanted, your majesty, he could leave the hospital immediately. It's been quite amazing, seeing his body heal itself at a rate unthinkable by conventional biological concepts. By my estimate, your majesty, he should be fully healed within a few days, five at most."

"Five days, then. Make certain to take good care of him, and continue to monitor his recovery and keep me informed." She turned her attention to Evan. "We'll prepare a room for you in the meantime. Any specific requests?"

"... no, not really." Evan replied, as if the idea of personalizing his living space was truly a concept too weighty for him. Neo Queen Serenity smiled; just being around this boy was like a breath of fresh air, and not just because of his selflessness and innocence; there was something about him,... something she couldn't quite put her finger on...

  
  


"Perhaps you might have told me ahead of time what you had planned, then I could have offered some suggestions." Darien stated as the group exited the building. He was not just surprised and feeling left out of the loop, but also confused by his wife's decision to house the boy in the palace. It wasn't so much that he was angry that she hadn't told him; she had done far worse than this without giving him the slightest foreshadowing, and he also tried to make an effort not to entangle himself with everything she was doing and let her have some select projects completely under her direction. In Serena was an odd paradox:. She deeply and lovingly clung to friendships and, specifically, the romance that the two of them shared, but she also often had a desire to operate as a free agent and do something to catch her friends and loved ones, more often than not, totally by surprise. One of her more enterprising endeavors had been the design of a large youth-based complex in the center of the city, with shops and stores and everything she had, as a teenager, always dreamed about having in 'the perfect mall'. Then there had been the time when she redesigned the palace courtyard on a whim, removing grand crystal and stone and metal statues and having the entire locale filled with rare and beautiful plants and flowers, mazes off to the sides constructed of massive hedges and leading to raised gazebos or other such constructs, to give her places of privacy and beauty where she could sit and reflect and think or do whatever came to her mind. The list went on of things she had done or made or planned or organized that she'd begun totally of her own whim or inspiration,...

... But Darien was inclined to think that inviting a certain mysterious young boy who had no idea who he was to come and live with them, he was inclined to think that was a little too important for her to just go ahead without consulting him.

"If you'll recall," Serena stated, half teasing him and half serious. "I did try to bring it to your attention last night at dinner, but you thought I was making a joke."

"I apologize for not taking you seriously, but you didn't exactly tell me you were actually setting your heart to do this. You said 'wouldn't it be interesting if...'. I honestly, truthfully thought that meant you were just thinking how strange it would be."

"Strange, maybe,... but a valuable opportunity. Perhaps I should have brought it more plainly to your attention..." A devious smirk came over her. "But the expression on your face was absolutely priceless, you must admit."

He blushed slightly, having not even thought that she might have been playing this up as a practical joke. Saturn vainly tried to suppress a giggle, as did Rini, and Pluto fought to keep from smirking. As they made their way down the steps of the hospital leading towards the street curb, Darien whispered something about 'I suppose it was pretty funny', and Serena smiled warmly and gave him a reassuring hug.

  
  


"My queen, are you certain this is a good idea?"

The question was being put forth by Uranus, and a concerned look on her features clearly exposed that she had her doubts as to the safety of a move like this. Serena could read similar expressions of questioning in the eyes of most of the Sailor Scouts, whom she'd gathered together in the castle's grand meeting room for the purpose of conveying her plans concerning Evan. The Sailors sat around a large crystalline circular table that stretched almost the length and breath of the room, and each Sailor's symbol was engraved in silver on the table in front of them and on the backs of the chairs. Truth be told, everyone except Darien, Saturn, Pluto, and Rini seemed to, by their very expressions on their faces, have some confusion or doubt as to the nature of this idea. Uranus had only stated the silent opinion of the group.

Addressing the manner like a true queen, Serena stood to her feet and looked, one by one, into the eyes of the Sailor Soldiers whom she called her dearest friends. She could understand their apprehension, but she knew they would understand if only she spoke from her heart. Taking a deep breath, she collected her thoughts, then addressed the other fourteen Sailors, plus Luna, Artemis, and Diana, who sat on a raised cushion at the far end of the table across from Serena.

"I know we're taking a risk by inviting Evan to come and stay here with us,... but I personally believe that the potential for good outweighs whatever dangers may be incurred. What I hope to accomplish is not just to help him restore his memory, but also to get him closely tied in with what we represent, to make him feel like family amongst us. He has no memory of who he is, and whether he was a friend or a foe before he came here is not the true issue. The question isn't 'how can we protect ourselves from him just in case', it needs to be 'how can we make him feel welcomed'. Even if he did come here as an enemy, against which there is now substantial evidence, this is a chance to show him what we are really about. Perhaps, if he was an enemy, we can help him choose a different path, or if he indeed is not, we can help him to think of himself as one of us. It's possible that he himself is a Sailor Soldier; it's almost completely confirmed that the energy burst we detected originated with him. We should make every attempt to guide him to the right path, and prove to him that there are people in this world he can trust. I think at least some of those people... should be us."

There was a contemplative silence that fell over the room, then slowly one by one the Sailors nodded in agreement. Serena let out a relieved and grateful sigh; it was always good to know that her friends still believed in her. She sat down with a relieved and hopeful smile beaming on her face, and somehow it seemed to spread to most of the other Sailors.

"Someone will need to keep an eye of him nonetheless." Uranus stated after a few minutes. "There is still an uncertainty about him; we have to take proper precautions. After all, we can't have him 'accidentally' unleashing an energy burst like what we sensed three days ago, especially here in the castle."

"You're absolutely right, Amara. And I think that you are the person best suited for the task." Serena stated, with the straightest face she could muster. All eyes turned to see Uranus' half-desperate but mostly stunned 'but that's not what I meant' look. It seemed almost everyone, even Neptune and Pluto, was barely suppressing a snicker or a giggle or at least a grin. Serena quickly added, "Your job will be to keep an eye on him, and in case an emergency comes up both the royal guard and the other Sailor Scouts are at your disposal."

Anything that even resembled a smirk instantly dropped away, except for Uranus, who had good reason to smirk. Neo Queen Serenity was known for her fairness, but amongst the Sailor Scouts she was also known for her sense of humor. Needless to say, she had planned this out as her latest small prank, although it was far more fact than joke. It had just been employed like one.

"Additionally," She added, turning her gaze towards Pluto. "Pluto will, in a manner of speaking, undertake the role of teacher for Evan. Her task will be to teach him the basic facts about our world and whatever else he wishes to learn, but also to monitor what information he intakes. If possible, we want to delay any understanding about conflict and warfare, especially the implementation. A time will come when we will have to teach him about his own powers and show him how to properly use them, but I want there to be a firm moral fiber in place before we undertake that task."

Pluto nodded; her role as Evan's teacher had been decided between her and Neo Queen Serenity far in advance of this meeting. It was a task she felt up to, and believed that it would enable her a vantage point from which to make key observations about the boy.

"As for everyone else..." A gentle smile came over Neo Queen Serenity's features. "Just try to be his friends, and be ready in case Uranus needs you."

The group at large nodded. This would no doubt turn into an interesting undertaking, one with few certainties and only possible danger.

And for Neo Queen Serenity, it was exactly what she'd been praying for: something to help take her mind off the Galaxy Cauldron.

  
  
  
  


(Author's notes: Enjoying it sofar? I know I am. In case you're wondering about some certain things in reference to the story sofar, please be merciful of the fact that I'm not the official 'moonhead' in my family. This fanfic is dedicated to my sister Jenn {AKA "Sailor ChibiLove"}, who not only knows more about SM than I do, but is helping me to write this fic through a medley of information gathered from both the TV series and the comics she possesses. As with before, if ya like what ya see, Read and Respond! My e-mail is MysteriousVoiceGuy@juno.com, and I check it often so rest assured your questions, comments, flames {flames will be used to roast marshmallows, so there!} and reviews will be received, read, and responded to in short order. More soon! Later, peoples!)


	5. Evan

Chapter 4: Evan

Five days later...

Upon first glimpsing the royal palace, Evan was stunned silent with the power of the moment and the awesome beauty of the construct. It glimmered in the mid-day sunlight, and looked indeed like a giant silver crystal sprouting up out of the ground and reaching upwards to the sky. Barely discernable were the myriad of well-placed windows and balconies that dotted the surface; at a distance, it was impossible to tell them apart from the silver coloring of the castle. But as the vehicle he was riding in approached the main gates, those distant windows and terraces began to become visible against the main shape of the crystal palace, but only barely and only to an attentive eye. The vehicle was allowed by the guards to pass, and it came to a stop just in front of the main gate.

"You're on your own from here." Dr. Matthews, who had asked special permission to drop Evan off, stated from the driver's seat. "Remember what I taught you,... and if you don't know where to go just ask someone, although the guards will probably show you where to go. They're all expecting you, so there shouldn't be any problems."

Evan nodded. Dr. Matthews had been coaching him on proper palace etiquette, so he knew what was expected of him. Additionally, the good doctor had gone through the trouble of getting Evan a proper outfit for the occasion. The attire that had ended up fitting his appearance best had included a short white cape, with a regal dark gray shirt that bordered only slightly on the style worn during the reign of the early British dynasties, and midnight-black pants with likewise black boots, fit to match each other almost perfectly in color and fit. Deciding gloves or any adornments might be overdoing it a bit, the doctor had left the outfit at that, deciding that a touch of simplicity would suit the encounter well. Evan exited the vehicle, thanked Dr. Matthews for all his kindness, and as the vehicle drove off Evan turned to the building in front of him, and ascended the steps to the main door, where two guards stepped to one side and opened the double doors for him. Making sure to thank the guards as well, Evan entered the flora-filled courtyard, where two other guards stood near the door, apparently having been sent there to wait for him. It seemed he had no need to identify himself, either that or his hair and appearance revealed his identity well enough, because the guards quickly walked up to him.

"Please follow us. Neo Queen Serenity awaits your arrival."

Evan nodded, and followed the guards in silence, mentally rehearsing what Dr. Matthews had taught him. The two royal soldiers led him down a long series of hallways, all beautifully crafted and incorporating both crystal and various materials like polished white quartz and gorgeous stone into the design and architecture. Various windows placed at semi-regular intervals in the hallways looked out onto small gardens, beautiful vistas of Crystal Tokyo, the courtyard now far below, and other locales in the palace vicinity worthy of an observer's eye. Evan passed only a handful of banners, paintings, and statues, most of which seemed to deal with themes of the past of the Sailor Scouts or the Sailors themselves. These caught his attention, but he had no time to view them more closely and was forced to keep pace with the guards. Eventually, they reached a large silver door, a monolith might be a more accurate description, beautifully designed and with two guards on each side, each guard in full military array and displaying all the nobility of their prestige and position. Two of the guards, one on each side, quickly reached for the respective handle and pulled open the double doors, revealing the throne room beyond. Evan nodded and thanked them, and the two guards that had accompanied him quickly went with him inside. The throne room was much like the rest of the castle, only far larger and grander. Neo Queen Serenity and King Darien's thrones sat upon a raised platform with four or five steps linking it with the rest of the chamber. The Sailors all stood on the far side of the room on either side of the raised platform, and Rini was at her mother's side on the throne platform. All eyes were locked on Evan.

"Announcing sir Evan, favored guest of the queen!" One of the guards who had accompanied him trumpeted. Both guards took respective positions on either side of the still-open doorway, and Evan walked forward on his own towards the center of the room, where he effected a dignified, but somewhat unpracticed, bow, then straightened himself as he prepared to speak.

"Thank you for inviting me here, Neo Queen Serenity." His voice showed the sincerity of his statement of thanks. Needless to say, Neo Queen Serenity was tickled pink by Evan's entrance, considering she had seen him just days earlier in a hospital bed and everything that had transpired there. Rini suppressed a good-natured giggle, and Evan smiled in return.

The Sailor Scouts seemed to eye him with a strange half-curiosity, except for Saturn and Pluto. After all, this strange boy with amnesia would be a guest at the palace from this day until some unknown epoch in the future. It was only natural, then, that they would take an interest in this first encounter.

"It's good to see you again, Evan. How do you feel?" Serena asked.

"Much better; thank you, your highness." He paused for a moment. "You have a beautiful palace. I'd like to see more of it, if that's possible."

Neo Queen Serenity smiled gently.

"You're a guest here from this day forth, Evan. There will be plenty of time for a tour of the castle, that I promise you." She then gestured to the Sailors. "Allow me to introduce Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, Ceres, Palus, Vesta, and Juno. They are my friends and closest allies. Saturn and Pluto you already know, and of course my daughter Rini, Sailor ChibiMoon and future Sailor Moon, heiress to the Silver Crystal."

He made another, this time slightly better calculated, bow directed towards the Sailors, apparently starting to get the hang of it. Each Sailor nodded and smiled warmly, even Uranus, although she was slightly more reserved in doing so.

"We've prepared a room for you to here, with a balcony overlooking the grand garden." Neo Queen Serenity turned her glance towards Uranus. "Uranus will be acting as your supervisor; she can answer any questions you may have about adjusting to life here and will be keeping watch on you. Uranus, would you take Evan to his room?"

"Certainly, majesty." Uranus nodded, then walked over towards Evan and led him out of the chamber. The doors were shut behind them, and Uranus led him off down the left hall. More than once he caught her eyeing him strangely, but her gaze always darted back to straight ahead when she realized he was looking at her.

"Is something wrong? Did I do something I shouldn't have?" Evan inquired sincerely. Uranus looked to the side for a moment, then responded without turning to look at him.

"It's nothing really." She paused for a moment, not faltering in her step, and her eyes momentarily looked at his face. "And no, it's not because I think your hair is strange. I've seen far stranger." She added, apparently having read his question in his eyes. She kept her pace and turned left along a wide hallway with many doors on both sides.

"... Is it my energy?"

Uranus stopped in mid step, and looked directly at him, hiding her surprise.

"What do you mean?" She asked, trying to keep her voice sounding neutral.

"I've heard people talking about how I have some kind of energy in me, and that there was a big energy burst the day before I woke up in the hospital. They said that they think I caused it." He paused for a moment, looked off to the side, then his eyes turned and looked into Uranus' face. "Is that true? What does it mean?"

For a moment, Uranus stood there, dumbstruck as to how to respond. Taking a deep breath in, she folded her arms and answered him.

"Yes, it's true. As for what it means, we don't know yet."

"Did I cause the energy burst?"

"... We're pretty sure. Don't worry, hopefully soon we'll be able to explain some of these things to you." She began walking again, and Evan kept pace next to her. "Until then, I don't want you to think too much about energy and such. There's a time and a place for everything, and we'll tell you as soon as we know more about your powers."

She came to a stop outside a polished white door, like the rest of the castle somewhat Romanesque in style and design, with Evan's name inscribed in embossed black letters just above the doorhandle. She pushed open the door and gestured for Evan to go inside first.

The room was spacious, everything in much the same beautiful colors and style as the rest of the castle. The first room they entered showcased a plush white couch, a polished wooden table of a deep vibrant color, two small sitting chairs no less elegant and cushioned than the couch, a patterned rug that stretched most of the length of the room, and an open-air balcony with long silver curtains presently tied up to the sides of the balcony so that this sitting room and the balcony were almost one room. A painting of a starscape hung on one wall, and there was another white door, unlabeled, on the far right.

"The bedroom is in there, with the bathroom door in the far left of the bedroom. Feel free to look around. There's a page of information you'll need to know, like when breakfast is and such, on the bed, and a full wardrobe on the bedroom far right wall." Uranus turned to go. "If you need anything, use the built-in computer in the bedroom to contact me, but if possible try to figure things out for yourself. Make yourself at home."

Evan nodded, and Uranus, with one last look to make sure everything was ok, she left the room and closed the door. Evan immediately went to the balcony and looked out. It was an awe-inspiring view: the grand garden Neo Queen Serenity had talked about was filled with rare and beautiful plants and flowers, ponds and waterfalls, walkways made of transparent crystal, and likewise crystal benches and tables, scattered in sparse numbers. Beyond the captivating grand garden, the city skyline rose high in the distance, building windows reflecting the light of the midday sun so that the city almost seemed to sparkle. He looked upwards to see a clear sky, a perfect hue of rich blue that seemed to have a feeling of depth to it, almost as if Evan could perceive and distinguish the subtle blending of the layers of stratosphere.

So peaceful...

  
  


Uranus' newest bit of information regarding Evan startled and slightly worried Neo Queen Serenity. She paced back and forth in the throne room as she considered what had transpired.

"I was hoping we could go without addressing his powers for at least a few weeks, perhaps longer... but it seems fate has made that impossible." She stated, thinking aloud as she paced.

"My queen, perhaps we don't have to change plans just yet." Uranus proposed. "He told me only that other people have been talking about his energy, about the energy burst. I personally believe he still has no idea how to even tap into his own powers."

"That's part of what I'm worried about." The queen responded, resting her chin on one curled hand as she continued to pace back and forth. "Suppose he somehow accidentally taps into his powers somehow, perhaps to the injury of himself or others?" She paused in her steps, and quickly looked over towards Pluto, who was standing by one of the corners. "How fast did the medical reports say he was regaining his natural energy? How long until it reaches the point where it could endanger someone's life if some sort of accidental burst occurred?"

"Based on my research and estimations, perhaps a week, highness." Pluto stated straightforward. "And if his energy continues to recuperate at it's present rate, it will be roughly six weeks before he reaches the level of power we witnessed in the energy burst. If, that is, his energy continues to build as it has sofar,... and it's possible that even the energy burst was not an accurate demonstration of his actual maximum, but if so, his power would have to be incredible... perhaps even nearing or equaling your own, majesty."

She nodded; she'd been aware when she undertook this project that Evan's power was potentially incredible. The implications of such a power were no doubt important: if indeed Evan was a Sailor Soldier, as she personally believed was the only logical explanation, then not only were there Sailor Scouts that could rival her own power, but also, by Chaos and Sailor Galaxia's own admission there was no brighter star, no more powerful Sailor Crystal, than the Silver Crystal. If Evan was a Sailor Soldier, if his power was as awesome and weighty as Pluto estimated,... then didn't the boy's very existence fly in the face of the facts of the Silver Crystal?

There was no doubt in her mind now; this was a mystery that she had to search out until answers could be revealed.

She took a deep breath and turned so she was able to look at both Uranus and Pluto.

"At the end of one week, do a discrete energy scan on him. If his power has reached the estimated level... then we'll implement a change in plans. Uranus will begin training him to properly use his powers, as well as the skills of combat in due measure, and Pluto will begin teaching him of the many struggles that the Sailor Soldiers of this solar system underwent in order to bring about the present peace." She looked directly into Pluto's eyes. "We must make him understand the responsibility and purpose of his, of any, power. It's imperative that we show him that we don't use our powers to fight for ourselves,... that we do not battle for a future of battles, but a future of peace."

Those words, which had echoed in her mind so long ago, now came back to her, and the very act of saying them aloud nearly caused her to go pale. For a split-second, she almost felt as if she were standing there again, on the long narrow walkway overlooking the Galaxy Cauldron..., but she quickly pushed those thoughts out of her head. As her focus returned to reality, she looked up to see Pluto and Uranus with concerned, confused expressions on their faces.

"... I'm fine, really... I just had a flashback of the Galaxy Cauldron, but I'm ok." She paused for a moment, taking several deep breaths. "And yes,... perhaps even about the Galaxy Cauldron, but not immediately for certain. For now, we go ahead with the first plan,... and hope that I have not made a mistake in my judgement."


	6. Intruder

Chapter 5: Intruder

  
  


Night fell upon the city of Crystal Tokyo, like a gentle black curtain draping itself over each building and locale. Once more, as they had for aeons, the stars one by one came out, speckling the sky with their distant light, and the moon, brightest object in the firmament, cast it's mysterious and magical glow across the planet earth, bathing the city in perfect moonlight.

At the palace, dinner was served up like a banquet. The Sailors, royals, and Evan also, but not as much, indulged in conversation before desert, and slowly Evan began to feel more comfortable and at home amongst his newfound friends. But nothing truly substantial occurred, and the dinner with without incident and also without any new events in regard to the mysterious young boy (that is, save Evan's first introduction to the palace desert favorite, strawberry swirl cheesecake, which quickly became both his first and favorite desert). He made certain to act like a perfect gentleman, as Dr. Matthews had instructed him, and even declined the offer of a second piece of the surprisingly good cheesecake towards that end of the dinner.

Now, he stood on the balcony of his room, looking up into the depths of the stars. The warm night winds caught his short white cape and it wafted like a leaf on a tree behind him. His mind was, once more, on the great questions of his existence,... but even though he stared up at the stars for hours, no answers came. If the stars held the answers, then tonight they had either forgotten him or were shunning him. Beginning to feel the weariness of the day, he retired to the bedroom and tried to get some sleep.

However, his dreams soon took on a strange twist...

The world around him was dark and phantom-like, with sheer rock cliffs and mountain-like eruptions of terrain half hidden behind the layer of thick fog. The ground below his feet was made of a strange black dirt, as if it had never known the growth of any plant or seen any form of nutrients. A strange... black wind blew in the forefront of his mind, although the fog remained totally still. Yet he could feel it whipping at his clothes, and gusting against his skin and hair. What was this place, and this nightmare wind?

Suddenly, he heard a deep, strong voice say his name, and spun to locate the source. In the distance, the silhouette of a dark figure stood upon a high rock precipice, holding a large scythe in one hand. The figure was tall and muscular, and bore a long cape that whipped about behind him, as if he too could feel the strange shadow wind; same with his long hair, that likewise showed the galeforce effects of the wind in it's violent flailing. Evan suddenly was aware of two other figures, standing at the base of the rock eruption, both wearing long robe-like clothing and both silhouetted as shadows against the fog. Neither seemed to wield a weapon, not as the scythe wielder did with his out in the open, and strangely both these persons seemed unaffected, untouched by the dark breeze as if it had no right to exist in the same sphere as they.

Who are you?-the question echoed from Evan's mind, but there was no reply. Suddenly, above the scythe wielder, four columns of fog, like as if tinted with light from within, rose from the far distant horizon behind the rock sheers. One had a light aqua blue color, another a blazing inferno red, still another a brilliant, searing electric white, and the last one a dark, phantom purple. For a split second, Evan thought he could discern human forms within the radiant glows.

Suddenly, another voice called out his name, and he spun back in the direction he'd first been looking. A massive shadow, like a hovering black cloud, filled the sky in that direction, and standing nearby was yet another shadow form, this one indistinct and hard to make out. There seemed to be two composite shadows in this silhouette, yet only one form. Who are you?!- yet again he asked the question, feeling a deep sense of dread from this new phantom. Suddenly, it was as if lightning struck, evaporating the black ghosts and searing his vision. For several long moments he stood there, hands shielding his eyes, and then slowly, dreading what he might see, he opened his eyes to see the next wraith.

But unlike the others, this wraith had a face, and a name Evan knew. The figure stood there directly in front of him, with all signs of rock outcropping in the distance totally gone so that the horizon line fused with the distant fog. His long black cape whipped about, not as with the phantom wind, which Evan even now still felt, but directly opposite, as if this dark warrior was a force unto himself. Deep green eyes pierced into Evan's mind, the black-clad warrior as if probing Evan's deepest thoughts with that intensely powerful and intensely intimate, knowing, searching gaze. Neon blue hair fanned in accord with the cape, and the sheer neutrality, like the immovable character of stone in the warrior's face, seemed all the more to place him beyond the realm of this bleak dimension of fog.

It was as if looking into a mirror... but was the dark phantom truly himself? There was something vastly different about this person,... both he and Evan the same on the outside, but incredibly different inside, and somehow Evan was able to discern that difference as if a visible characteristic. It was difficult to grasp, though Evan stared at the warrior for a long moment, in total stunned silence.

Who are you?- was Evan's inquiry as those green eyes continued to hold their gaze directly on him.

"Who are you?" The question, like an echo, returned to his ear, only coming not as an echo but as the words of the identical warrior. A long pause ensued, where Evan took a step backwards with uncertainty. Then the figure, his expression unmoving, slowly raised his right arm and pointed with one finger at Evan. "Who are you?"

The threatening posture of the figure shocked Evan, and for a moment he made up his mind to run as fast as he could away from this horror. But his legs refused to move, and Evan could only stand there in breathless silence as sparks of electricity began to course through the wraith's entire outstretched arm. In a barely witnessed moment of time, a blazing flash filled Evan's vision and he felt the ground under his feet vanish. The next moment he felt himself falling through empty space. Stars flew by as streaks of brilliant white-blue light as he plummeted towards an unseen abyss. Suddenly, amongst the stars were phantoms,... dozens of them! And somewhere in the back of his mind, he could feel a familiarity, an understanding of each one that he could not explain. The wraith, the scythe wielder, the double-phantom, all wove themselves in a complex pattern of shadows, hovering first to his left, then directly, in front of him, then darting behind him, eluding him, denying Evan a glimpse of their true forms. They spun and circled, twirled themselves around him as no less than ghosts come to haunt. Then a number of strange shadows arrived and joined in, some in robes of darkness, some warriors with weapons, some completely indiscernible as to what they were, some with a strange solidity and familiarity that chilled him to the core. Further he fell into the darkness, the ghosts demon-like encircling him, evading him, taunting him. The stars were all but hidden from his view by their dark forms.

Then suddenly, the stars were gone, replaced by a terrifying, blinding, consuming darkness. He could feel that the phantoms were gone... but another terrorizing presence pervaded his mind. In the distance, he heard insidious laughter in a deep voice, echoing to him across the distance. The thought hardly occurred to Evan that he had stopped falling when suddenly the most nerve-shattering feeling hit his mind: it was like being torn apart from the inside out and suffocating at the same time. The crystal clear knowledge came to his mind that something... inside of him... was killing him! Evan screamed into the silence as he felt claw-like hands rip apart his chest from within. The laughter was closer now, and the godless, merciless presence invaded his mind as the destroyer ripped apart his flesh and bone- - -

- - -And with a gasp he bolted up in bed, clutching immediately for his chest. Sweat poured from his brow, the sheets and pillow damp with perspiration, not to mention his bedclothes, and he fought to breathe in a regular, steady pattern. His mind was so frozen by what it had just witnessed that it was several moments before he was able to realize it had been a dream, and only then did his mind register his present locale. Evan quickly wiped the sweat off his forehead, looking nervously around the room lest another phantom erupt out from the darkness to terrorize him. His breathing calmed and his heartbeat slowed, and at length he got up out of bed, throwing off the sheets, and went into the bathroom and splash his face with cold water.

He turned on the light and immediately reached to the sink, turning the knob on the faucet and letting the crisp, cold, refreshing, nerve-calming liquid flow onto his cupped hands. He sighed deeply, and immersed his face in a rush of water, then reached for a towel and dried it off. He then procured one of the bathroom cups that were in the cabinet behind the mirror and filled it with water from the faucet, taking several calming swallows before putting the cup back empty and turning off the faucet. At least now his nerves were calmer, somewhat. He closed his eyes for a moment, and he could see in his mind's eye still the horrific nightmare images. Opening them, his heart jumped for a moment looking at his reflection in the mirror, and remembering the wraith, that identical phantasm that had twice echoed the question 'who are you'. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, then for a long moment starred directly into the mirror as if half expecting it to transform into some unearthly demon. But no such metamorphosis came, and at length he turned off the bathroom light and went back into the bedroom.

But he'd been looking for apparitions in the wrong place. No sooner had he gotten halfway to the bed, than a sound behind him sent a chill up his spine and caused him to instantly spin around to identify the source.

A silhouetted figure stood behind the curtains of the balcony, apparently female by form. Her left hand quickly pushed aside the transparent silver curtains and she stepped into the darkened room, her form all but swallowed up by the shadows. Evan froze where he stood, not daring to move, even as he heard high-heeled footsteps approaching him. But when the footsteps got to within a few feet of him, his survival instincts kicked in, dispelling the fear-paralysis, and in a perhaps simplistic and child-like defense, he quickly reached to shut the door. However, a firm hand stopped the motion of the door halfway.

"Wait."

The voice was feminine, with a slightly brassy tone. Evan felt a knot in his throat form as a moment of silence passed, in which he heard neither voice nor footsteps, nor was the door pushed any further open by the hand that kept it from closing. Fear gripped his mind, and for a moment he silently begged and pleaded with whatever powers ruled the cosmos that he was still having a nightmare and would wake up before the worst could come. But no such mercy was to be given; this was real. His hands trembled as he hoped beyond hope that this intruder was one of the Sailors or, at the least, not set on the scent of blood.

"I'm not your enemy." The voice finally added. "I'm here to get you out of here, while there's still time. If you let me help you, I promise that I can explain who you are and help you remember all your lost memories."

"... Who are you?" Evan's voice trembled, an irremovable feeling of dread forming a weight in his chest.

The figure gently pushed the door open further, revealing her form. She wore an outfit strangely similar to the Sailors, but with several differences. Though Evan couldn't make out the dual-color hues that defined the outfit, like it did for all the Sailors he'd met, he could see that the entire fabric that was white on the Sailor Scout's outfits was black on this person's design. Like with Sailor Mercury and Sailor Pluto, she had long boots that extended up to her knees, although in this darkness Evan would have been hard pressed to guess the color. He could make out some kind of a headpiece, perhaps a tiara, but it seemed different than what the Sailor Scouts wore. Long black gloves reached all the way to her elbows, and Evan could make out some kind of complex design in gold glittering all along the elongated gloves, prominent even in the dark light.

"For now,... call me Marissa." The Sailor look-alike stated. She looked over at the light switches on the wall nearby, and added. "If you want, you can turn on the lights, but just this room and not too bright."

Evan hesitated, then released his grip on the door and went to turn on the lights, making certain not to turn his back to this mysterious personage. For her part, she walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, facing Evan. Evan slowly turned the dimmer, causing a gentle radiance to illuminate the room.

He could now see his visitor much better thanks to the lighting. Her black Sailor outfit had deep, ice-blue bows and ribbons, and fire-red skirt and *shoulder fold. Her tiara, a far cry from those Evan had seen the Sailor Scouts wearing, was made of some shiny dark-gray metal and was more like a ring around her forehead, with a strange black four pointed star-like gem in the center, prominently larger but not by much more-so than the surface of the tiara. She had strange light purple eyes, eyes that seemed strangely out of place and almost ethereal, and short red hair somewhat like Uranus', but this girl's, for she didn't seem to have reached an age beyond the later teenage years; her hair hung down quite a bit more, and she had it combed to her left side to create a somewhat imbalanced look. Her long boots were black with aforementioned high heels and moderate golden scroll-work and trim, which Evan hadn't noticed before. The long black and gold gloves were much more lavish, with ribbon-like designs of gold fabric trailing above the velvet black cloth from the tips of her fingers, intertwining each other along her arm in vastly complex array, and the gold strands looping into closure barely an inch short of the glove's end. The most luxuriant rulers of all time would hardly have worn such gloves, yet necromancers and experts of the arcane of ages past might well have wanted for such an adornment. Her face was thin and pleasant, yet her features had a cold yet intense intelligence to them that Evan could hardly ignore. He noticed she carried no weapon, despite being dressed like as if she were some arcane Sailor Soldier of a darker lineage. Evan hoped that wasn't the case, but the visible facts suggested otherwise.

"What do you want with me?" Evan asked, making sure he was within quick reach of the door. If 'Marissa' turned out not to be as harmless as she wanted Evan to believe, he would have to run for his life and hope somehow to locate a guard before she could catch up.

"I know who you are." She stated, her voice retaining a rather professional, down-to-business tone for the moment. "You are the traveler, the one the ancient prophesies called the Shadow Knight. You're in danger here; Neo Queen Serenity is a deceiver who knows your power and wishes only to use it for her own ends."

"What do you mean??" Evan questioned, not wanting to believe a word of what Marissa had just said.

"I know you don't want to believe me. Neo Queen Serenity has been kind to you, but it's all a facade. She wants you to make you believe she's your friend so then she can harness your powers for herself. If you come with me, I can show you your true powers, and your true purpose."

"W-why should I trust you over her? And how do you know so much, about my powers, and my purpose?"

She stood up and walked over to Evan, stopping a few feet away. Evan nearly recoiled, but kept himself from backing away from her.

"We've been waiting for you, for a long time now. Once we get out of here, I'll take you to the others, but I cannot tell you anything more here. Too dangerous; Neo Queen Serenity may already be listening in on our conversation. We have to go, now, before she gets the chance to prevent our escape."

Evan hesitated for a long moment, during which Marissa eyed him with a look of stern urgency. Was she right? Was Neo Queen Serenity really only interested in acquiring his powers, like sapping a fruit of all it's juice and then throwing away the rind? Needless to say, he found it hard to believe,... but if Marissa was telling the truth? This conflict of interests struck him deep; until now he'd had no reason to distrust anyone, due in no small part to his amnesia. Was Neo Queen Serenity really a bad person? He found that concept difficult to swallow, but not having any memory of any 'bad people', he didn't hardly consider himself and form of expert, much less knew what to look for to distinguish 'bad people' from 'good people'. The concept was there, he knew what bad and good were, but...

"You haven't given me a reason to trust you. How do I know what you're saying is true?" Evan challenged. He sighed and shook his head, his gaze cast downward. "How do I know I can trust anyone? I don't even know if I can trust myself."

He looked up and she was still starring straight at him, but her expression was changed somewhat, from a steadfast urgency to a compassionate sympathy.

"I understand. You've been through a lot. Maybe now isn't the best time to be pushing you into your destiny. I'm sorry if I came on too strong,... but I want you to know you have a friend in me. If you ever want to talk..." She held out her hand and a strange, flat, hexagonal black crystal materialized. She quickly walked over to the dresser and pulled out the top drawer, which was conveniently empty, and placed the crystal inside, then turned back to Evan. "All you have to do is touch the crystal, and I'll be here that night, on my honor. It's too risky to come here during the day, so I'll only be able to come at night. OK?"

Evan nodded, and Marissa gently closed the drawer. She then turned and left the bedroom, stopping briefly in the main room and looking back at Evan.

"I recommend you find out for yourself if Neo Queen Serenity is worthy of your trust. When you're ready to blow this joint, just signal me with the crystal, and I'll get you out of here." She paused for a minute. "Sorry if I scared you, coming in through the balcony and all. Get some sleep,... and don't tell anyone I was here, or about the crystal. You promise?"

Once more Evan hesitated, then nodded. She nodded back, then pushed aside the curtains, walked out onto the balcony, and seemed to vanish from sight. Evan quickly rushed to the balcony, parting the curtains, and searched the visible area to try and see where she'd gone. Not a trace.


	7. Crucial Decision

Chapter 6: Crucial Decision

  
  


The next day was somewhat overcast and cloudy, a gentle fog settling over the city. The blanket of clouds held out the warm rays of the sun, retaining much of the colder temperatures of the preceding night. Perhaps this cloud was almost as if some omen or symbolism woven by nature, reflecting the confused and clouded condition of Evan's mind and heart, or perhaps such a comparison is a bit unrealistic. Nonetheless, Evan determined to, for the moment anyway, do as the mysterious Marissa had requested, keeping her visit a secret as well as determining to find out whatever the truth may be regarding Neo Queen Serenity. But regardless of his own plans, the day was already vastly scheduled out for him, and he would have to find the time during his free hours to investigate the matter of who to trust.

The first item on his list, of course, was breakfast. Uranus was waiting at Evan's door and escorted him to the dining hall, although Evan was mostly silent in light of last night's occurrences. Once more, the palace kitchen staff served up a grand buffet, ranging from various styles of eggs and breakfast meats, to a hand-picked selection of cereals and baked goods, to various other items like little Rini's personal favorite, blueberry pancakes. Evan selectively tried a little bit of everything, and once more gained a few favorites to add to his personal list. There was much talk, especially amongst the Sailors. It seemed Neo Queen Serenity and King Darien had an important meeting later in the day with planetary and off-world dignitaries and diplomats, concerning a vast array of half-mentioned issues like mining rights, territory borders, and natural resources. Other than that, breakfast was quite ordinary, even to Evan.

  
  


Shortly after breakfast, and taking up the better portion of the day, were lessons with Sailor Pluto. With Uranus constantly shadowing them both, Pluto took Evan to the palace library, and encouraged him to feel free to borrow any book on the shelves before sitting him down to begin the 'lesson', which mostly comprised of her asking Evan what he most wanted to learn about and making recommendations concerning his interests. Topmost on Evan's list were history, outer space, everything related to the Sailor Scouts, and, strangely, music. Uranus made the suggestion that maybe Neptune could help Evan find an instrument to fit his tastes and abilities, as well as teach Evan the basics of musical expression. That suggestion settled well with both Pluto and Evan. The next several hours were spent with Pluto guiding Evan to resource materials related to his interests, starting of course with the more basic materials, and Evan reading away, a fascinated expression on his features as he read and asked questions. It was obvious from moment one that Evan had an intense hunger for knowledge; whether that was in direct relation to his amnesia or if it was an inherent part of his personality was impossible to distinguish, but nonetheless he went through four large volumes in five hours, two on earth's history, one about astronomy, and one a book on the Silver Millennium. His questions ranged from simplistic and almost childlike, to intellectual and thought provoking: "How big is the universe?", "Why are planets round?", "Who is Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin?", "How come Napoleon looks so short?", "Why are other planets so different from earth?", "Are stars just big explosions that stay in one place?", "What causes gravity?", "What started the Silver Millennium?", "What's the Negaverse?", "What made Queen Beryl turn evil?", and the whooper of them all "Who made the universe?", and more. Pluto did her best to answer as best she could to each one, but more than once she was forced to admit she didn't know and explain to Evan that humans can't know everything, not even Sailor Scouts. In the end, Evan ended up borrowing six books to read on his own, mostly dealing with the Silver Millennium, makeup of the universe, periods in history prior to the New Silver Millennium but after the end of the first one, and on simple scientific concepts.

"If he keeps learning like this, I won't be able to keep up with him after long." Pluto commented discretely to Uranus as Evan checked out his books at the main desk.

"No kidding. I've never seen anyone quite this fast with books. You may end up needing Amy's help soon; maybe between the two of you you'll be able to keep pace."

"Maybe, but if he keeps this pace up he might even wear both of us out. I'm starting to think you got the easier task concerning Evan."

Uranus smirked. "Maybe."

  
  


The next two hours were taken up with a tour of the east wing of the palace, during which Uranus was accompanied by Neptune and Jupiter, following up with Neo Queen Serenity's request to be Evan's friends. As they walked, Uranus told Neptune about Evan's musical interest, and Neptune gladly agreed to become Evan's music tutor. The tour showcased a good deal of the great artwork of the crystal palace, not just the sculptures and statues and murals and paintings, but also some of the architecture as well. They visited several large meeting halls and multi-purpose chambers, making a detour to show Evan the gala ballroom, then heading out into the grand gardens. It was in the gardens that Evan began the conversation that led him towards his critical decision.

As they strolled down the crystal walkways, with beautiful ivy and blossoms and a vast array of pleasant plants, Evan asked if Neo Queen Serenity was trustworthy. The question stopped all three Sailor Scouts dead in their tracks.

"Of course. Why would you think otherwise?" Jupiter inquired.

"... How do I know she isn't just interested in me because of my powers?" Evan responded, a deep sincerity and confusion in his voice. "I know she's been nice to me, but..."

"Evan," Uranus walked in front of him and looked Evan square in the eye. "I'll be totally honest with you. Yes, Neo Queen Serenity does have somewhat of an interest in your powers, there's no getting around that. But her interest in your powers is only because she doesn't want them to be put to improper or dangerous use. Part of the reason she brought you here was so you could learn to use your abilities so you could control them, to keep you from hurting yourself or other people. But it isn't just about your powers."

"That's right." Neptune added. "Our queen has a great compassion for all people. Because there was really nowhere else for you to go, and because you'd lost your memory, she hoped that by bringing you here she could help you."

"But how do I know that she isn't just helping me so she can use my powers?" Evan reasserted, placing his stack of borrowed books on the pathway beside him for the moment.

"Believe me Evan, Neo Queen Serenity doesn't have any selfish ambitions concerning your powers. She only wants what's best for you."

"But how do I know who I can trust? How do I know what's the truth, and what isn't?" He paused for a moment and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry... I want to trust but I don't know how. Nothing makes sense to me."

There was a long pause, then Jupiter came up alongside him and looked him in the eye.

"There's no shame in needing a reason to trust people, Evan. In fact, you should ask who you can trust and why, because it will help you find out who really has your best interests at heart." She placed her hands on her hips. "And if there's one criteria that always works, it's how much the person cares about you. And let me tell you something: during the entire time I've been a Sailor Scout, Neo Queen Serenity has put herself at risk to save my life and the lives of other people more times than I can count. More than once she was literally prepared to die in order to save me and the other Sailors. That kind of selflessness can always be trusted: it's the kind of friendship that's willing to give up everything, and asks nothing in return." She smiled reassuringly, emphasizing her point with the gesture. "And if there's one person I know I can trust, it's Neo Queen Serenity."

For a long moment, Evan just stood there, dumbstruck,... then a silent tear began to form in his left eye. Uranus, Neptune, and Jupiter looked on with confused amazement as Evan began to cry, not making a sound, but tears streaming from his eyes nonetheless. Something Jupiter had said had obviously struck a cord in his heart, or perhaps brought back a memory or at least the feeling of a memory deeply buried. Then, wiping his tears, he looked up at Jupiter and smiled, a strange kind of smile that came from deep in his heart. It was a peculiarly striking wonder, the likes of which the three Sailors had only seldom witnessed it's equal.

And then Evan told them about his nightmares, and his encounter with Marissa.

  
  


"It would seem that the mystery concerning Evan has just reached another level." Neptune stated, the trio of Sailors having intercepted Neo Queen Serenity on her way to the meeting with the delegates. Fortunately, she and Darien had not yet left the palace, but were almost at the main gates when the three Sailors reached her.

"Why? What has happened?" She inquired, a slightly concerned tone in her voice.

"It's best if we discuss it in private." Uranus stated, and the five of them quickly made their way to an empty conference room and locked the door.

They quickly informed both her and Darien of what Evan had told them, retelling the encounter between him and the enigmatic 'Marissa' as best as possible from what Evan had told them. Jupiter added that it seemed this Marissa character was likely to be involved with or one of Dr. Matthew's theorized attackers, who had caused Evan's crashing to earth in the first place. It became quite apparent, as the group further analyzed Evan's tale, that this Marissa was quite blatantly lying to Evan about a few things: primarily, if she'd truly suspected that Evan's room was monitored, as she'd stated, she wouldn't have left the signaling crystal. Either that, or she wasn't very intelligent, or had a short memory span, but that seemed unlikely.

"Sensors detected nothing last night out of the ordinary, and the guards on duty claim to have seen nothing unusual." Uranus stated. "Which means either there's sabotage and conspiracy involved, or this 'Marissa' somehow eluded our detection grid and defenses. I personally don't like the prospects of either scenario."

"Agreed." Darien concurred, a concerned look on his face. "This matter, for now, should stay within the Sailor Scouts only, particularly the inner and outer Senshi."

"Where's Evan?" Neo Queen Serenity inquired.

"We left him with Rini and the Quartet in the gardens, and Saturn is watching him from a distance." Neptune volunteered, much to the queen's relief.

"So the question is, how do we respond to this intruder?" Darien wondered.

"We cannot let her get near Evan again, that's for certain." Serena stated, looking at Darien. "The worst possible thing that could happen right now is if he were to be kidnaped, or worse."

"What if we set an ambush?" Jupiter suggested. "Have Evan signal this 'Marissa', then move him to somewhere he'll be safe. When the intruder arrives, the Sailor Scouts should be able to capture her without much difficulty. Even if she is a Sailor, which Evan's description of her seemed to suggest."

"But if so, that brings up an entire new set of questions." Darien stated.

"The only way we'll find out is if we try this ambush idea." Neo Queen Serenity concluded. She turned to Uranus. "Have Evan touch the black crystal Marissa gave him, then quickly escort him to the underground shelter. Have the Quartet guard him there, then assemble the rest of the Sailors and prepare for the ambush. If possible, try to force whatever combat there might be into the gardens, so we lessen the risk of damage to the palace. We can replace the plants, but we must protect this building and the people in it if at all possible. Darien and I will go to the diplomatic conference, so that no one involved in this suspects that we're onto them. Uranus, we're leaving you in charge of the ambush. In the meantime, have Pluto do a discrete but thorough diagnostic of our defense grid and all our computer systems related to it. Try to track down how this person bypassed our security measures. I'm counting on you."

"Rest assured, majesties. The Sailor Scouts will not fail you, I promise." Uranus assured, with a quick bow. The other two did likewise. "By your leave."

  
  


Within an hour, the stage was set. The crystal had been triggered, and now glowed with a gentle blue luminescence, though it's energy and whatever signals it was sending were invisible to all but Mercury's specially-attuned scanners. Evan, after having been explained what was going to happen, was relocated to the underground shelter and accompanied by the Amazon Quartet and Princess Rini, now transforming into Sailor ChibiMoon in readiness for whatever would occur. The rest of the Sailors were informed of the situation in secret, and preparations for the ambush were made. Pluto's diagnostic of the palace's computers revealed no tampering; somehow, 'Marissa' had shielded herself from the sensors, or simply had no energy that the sensors were capable of detecting. Inquiry of the guards was withheld for the moment, the Sailors not wanting to tip off anyone involved as to their plan.

At last, the appointed hour was at hand.


	8. The Fallen Star

Chapter 7: The Fallen Star

  
  


A shadow materialized upon the balcony's stones almost as soon as twilight began to fade beyond the distant horizons. She was, by this time, no stranger to this locale; because she'd been chosen to retrieve the boy, she had quickly familiarized herself with what was known of the castle design in order to further her valuable mission. Combining technology and cunning, she'd easily evaded detection, and had thus been able to quickly uncover the location of the all-important traveler through teleporting and locating the proper resources and information. She smirked, considering how easy it had been to arrive in this most protected of places on a whim. And not only that, her clever and intricate weavings in the boy's mind and conscience had guaranteed him favored towards her cause. It came in handy sometimes, being able to manipulate people as she did, but soon no manipulation would be needed. Prophecy itself would guide the course.

She quickly brushed aside the transparent curtains, once more the darkness of the guestroom meeting her gaze. She guessed Evan would likely be in the bedroom, and, turning in that direction, was pleased to see beyond the half open door the boy himself, looking at her. She quickly began to walk over to him.

"Glad to see you again. Have you made a decision yet, Evan?"

The boy was silent, his features unmoving and with a strangely sympathetic bleakness to them as if his heart had been torn out and all he wanted was to leave his pain behind. She nearly smirked; this was exactly the kind of reaction she'd been hoping for. Her ploy had worked perfectly; once the suggestion had been made that Neo Queen Serenity was untrustworthy and motivated by selfishness, she'd known it was only a matter of time before Evan found something that would, in his mind, validate those false claims. Marissa herself knew that Neo Queen Serenity had only the desire to better the mysterious youth, but, for the sake of the prophecy and the years of planning, she knew that the only way to get Evan to go with her was to discredit and vilify the altruistic Neo Queen. And Evan, of course, had swallowed every word of the clever deception.

"I see you've discovered what Neo Queen Serenity is all about, then. I'm sorry you had to go through this, but there was no other way." The words rolled off her tongue like soothing honey, knowing that her sympathies would draw Evan to make his imperative decision. Empress Desinion was not, after all, one to be kept waiting after so long. "If you're ready to go, I can get you out of here right now. Don't worry; you have my word of honor that nothing bad will happen to you."

Yet still Evan's features altered not the slightest, and his body didn't move in the least. His eyes stared straight ahead, like as if what he'd gone through had made him a statue incapable of movement, so petrified by misery that nothing else mattered any more.

"C'mon, talk to me. I said you had a friend in me. Talk to me."

She was standing right in front of him by now, and reached out a hand to touch his shoulder.

-And instantly, the moment her hand touched him, he disappeared. Vanished. Blinked out of existence. Gone, not a trace.

For only a split-second, Marissa stood there in stunned silence, then her eyes shot up towards the ceiling. There, directly over where the mirage of Evan had been, was a small circular device. She cussed under her breath; it was a portable holo-projector! She'd been set up!! Evan had betrayed her.

Almost instantly, the lights of the room burst into full illumination, nearly blinding her with the sudden light. Jupiter, having been in hiding in the wardrobe, threw the doors open from within, and quickly stepped forwards into a combat stance. Mercury, Mars, and Venus burst in from the bathroom, and quickly assembled into a line alongside Jupiter, all prepared to fight.

"So you're the intruder that was lying to Evan." Venus stated, taking a good look at Marissa's outfit and appearance.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you'd better be ready for a thrashing." Jupiter challenged, a fierce confidence in her tone.

"Yeah; Sailor wannabes aren't allowed. Visiting hours are over!" Mars added.

"On behalf of this kingdom and our planets, we'll punish you!" Mercury decreed boldly.

Marissa stood there for a moment, then sneered and placed her gloved hands on her hips. She casually combed her hair out of her eyes with her right hand, then folded her arms.

"Well, well. Dear me; four Sailor Scouts just to take down one little intruder? Palace security a little uptight nowadays, huh?" She sneered. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sailor Antipode, Sailor Soldier of paradox and antithesis power!, and you Sailors picked the wrong night to get on my bad side."

"Big talk from someone who's outnumbered with nowhere to run." Jupiter asserted. Mercury then added. "We've activated an energy shield around the castle, so your little teleporting trick won't save you this time."

"I don't need to teleport to bust outta here, but first," She cracked her knuckles with a smirk. "Let's see what the Sailor Soldiers of this solar system can really do."

Sailor Antipode braced in a combat posture, the smirk leaving her face and a serious look replacing in, one of readiness and fierce intensity. The four Sailor Scouts braced themselves as well, every muscle tightening in accord with the oncoming battle.

Then, suddenly, Antipode just dematerialized. The Sailors quickly rushed into the other room just in time to see Sailor Antipode's silhouette leap off the side of the balcony. Mercury quickly reached for her earring, which now doubled as a discrete communicator.

"Uranus, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear. What's going on?"

"She's headed into the gardens, just like we hoped. Also, she calls herself Sailor Antipode."

"Ten-four, Mercury. Begin phase two."

  
  


The foliage of the gardens would be perfect to help her get the best of her opposition. Sailor Antipode quietly made her way into the shadows that trailed the wall of the castle, being careful to be alert for any movement or sound. No way the Sailor Scouts would be crazy enough to jump off a terrace that high up, especially without teleportation to land them safely on the ground as she herself had done. That meant they'd have to come in from the left side entrance to the gardens. And based on that knowledge, she could launch a surprise attack from where she stood.

Suddenly, a neon blue glow caught her eye, but by the time she realized what it was it was too late to dodge. Neptune's Deep Submerge plowed into her with it's full aquatic force, knocking the wind clean out of her as azure filled her field of vision. She collapsed to one knee, clutching her chest in pain and wincing only so slightly, then looked over to see Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto's silhouettes standing at a distance. Ignoring the pain, she quickly stood to her feet and glared at the trio menacingly.

"Cheap shot. I can see you've been preparing for me, Sailor Scouts. Well, let's see how you like this! Antipode Blazing Frost!!"

She outstretched one open palm, and suddenly her hand was enshrouded with a bizarre purple flame. The black four-pointed star on her tiara seemed to glow lightly as she launched the attack, the flame transmuting itself into a fireball of mixed ice-blue and inferno-red as it soared through empty air at it's targets. The trio of outer-rim Soldiers jumped aside to dodge the blast, and it slammed to the ground with incredible force. From where it landed, both flames and a thick, ground-freezing layer of ice erupted, the flames seemingly not effecting the thick frost. In a single moment, all nearby plants suddenly caught ablaze as the ice spread to a circumference of about seven feet. Sailor Antipode smirked.

"What do you think of my power, Sailors? Here, have some more!! Antipode Blazing Frost!!!"

Self-contradicting fireball after fireball shot forth from Antipode's outstretched hands, and soon it looked like the entire garden might soon be set on fire. Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune backflipped, sidestepped, and dodged the fireballs as fast as possible, being careful not to land on any of the circles of ice that now dotted the grand gardens' remains. Uranus leapt out of the way of a fire-ice blast, then pulled out her talisman sword.

"Ok, I've had enough! Space Sword Blaster!"

The razor-sharp blade of energy sliced cleanly through an incoming fireball, causing it to implode harmlessly in mid-air, and streaked across the battlefield at Antipode. Antipode's eyes went wide, then she quickly crossed her arms in front of her face and shouted "Antipode Elemental Shield!"

The blade-like bolt of energy burst apart harmlessly against the transparent blue and red energy bubble which leapt into being around Sailor Antipode. From behind the protection of the shield, Antipode smirked as if to challenge the Sailor Scouts, daring them to fight against her barrier.

"This is getting on my nerves." Uranus stated blandly. By now, the grand gardens were in shambles. Plant debris were scattered everywhere, a few nearby crystal tables lay in shards and shambles, and the ground was spotted with giant ice circles, like as if some form of arctic crop circling.

"Oh, wassamatter? Do I annoy you?" Antipode teased, fists surrounded in unnatural purple flames. The Elemental Shield began to get brighter in color and energy as she spoke. "C'mon, is that all you've got? I'll take your best shot."

Slowly, Uranus smirked.

"That's a mistake you'll soon regret." She sheathed her sword and cracked her knuckles. She turned her head towards the other two Scouts, keeping her eyes on Antipode. "Whatd'ya think? Should we let her have it?"

"Best not put too much power into it, or we might vaporize her." Neptune replied.

"It shouldn't be hard for the three of us to shatter that shield of hers. Let's just be careful to limit the collateral damages." Pluto added, giving her staff an agile spin before leveling it at Antipode. The Three Sailors stepped back and away from each other, keeping their eyes on Sailor Antipode, who cynically smirked and folded her arms in defiance.

"You three are all hot air. This barrier can repel any attack."

"We'll see about that. Prepare to be witness to the new powers imparted to us when our Sailor Crystals were reborn." Pluto declared calmly. Her staff began to glow with a deep fuchsia light, beaming brightest from the head of the garnet scepter and particularly the orb which hung suspended within it's frame. The Sailors' tiara gems also began to glow, each in their color.

"Uranus Cosmic Ether Cannon!!"

"Neptune Cosmic Tidal Wave!!"

"Pluto Cosmic Time Fissure!!"

From Uranus' outstretched open palm erupted what looked like a bolt of energized clear plasma, made visible by the melee of black and white electric-like shocks coursing through it inside. It's very presence seemed to distort the air that touched it as it raced headlong at it's pitiful victim. A massive swell of perfectly crystalline water materialized around Neptune as she braced one graceful finger over the gem of her tiara, the aquatic rush emanating a powerful blue glow bright enough to half-blind someone. With a sweeping gesture of her hand she sent the massive cyclonic force spinning within itself like a giant missile, aimed directly at Antipode. Pluto, spinning her garnet scepter over her head with practiced precision, swiftly brought the talisman down in one swift stroke, and all the energy that had surrounded it's form culminated in the air directly in front of her. The energy spun like a vertically-stretched comet towards the shielded Sailor Antipode, striking first of all the attacks and shattering the Elemental Shield like glass. The Time Fissure that the attack was named for materialized in an instant, replacing the fuchsia blast, forming into what looked like a swirling dark purple and navy blue vortex around Antipode, larger in size by several feet than the now-crushed Elemental Shield had been. Antipode barely had time to react in pain before the Ether Cannon and Tidal Wave hit her like a truck, combining with the Time Fissure and adding their colors likewise to the spiraling maelstrom. In a final burst, the vortex vaporized, throwing Antipode several feet through the air and into the nearby wall. Her body struck the wall violently, then she dropped face-first to the ground and lay there motionless. A few seconds later, the other four Sailor Scouts plus Saturn arrived onto the scene, quickly rushing past circles of ice and dead plants to join up alongside the three Outer Rim Sailors. The group of them stared at Antipode for a long moment, then Uranus, slowly, walked over to investigate the girl's condition.

Suddenly, Antipode began to move slightly. With great effort, the girl struggled to lift herself to her knees, her face stained with mud and her hair disheveled. But before she could get fully upright, Uranus leveled her saber at Antipode's throat.

"Move and you're dead. It would be in your best interests to surrender." Sailor Uranus stated point-blank.

"Never." Came Antipode's stubborn reply. She glared up at Uranus with a look of pure unrestrained hatred and malice.

Suddenly, in a blur of motion, Antipode whipped her left hand, which had been hidden behind her knees, straight at Uranus, and a glimmering black particle instantly burst forth, striking the sword-wielding Sailor Soldier in the stomach. The particle seemed to implode, the burst sending Uranus flying backwards and scorching into her flesh and uniform. The others quickly gasped and raced forwards, either to help Uranus or attack Antipode, but the mysterious dark Sailor was already charging up for a much larger, more powerful blast. Uranus lay on the ground, clutching her wound, as Antipode's attack continued to build.

"I didn't expect to have to use this," Antipode shouted, rage fueling her as she stood slowly to her feet, her right hand cast behind her open-palmed, with a massive black star-like particle increasing in size and diameter just above her touch. "But you leave me no choice!!" She then screamed with the full of her being. "DARK STAR CANNON!!!!!"

"Look out!!" Mars shouted, and the instant Antipode launched the attack everyone scattered for their lives. The blast struck the ground and swiftly expanded into a massive transparent black explosion that sphered outwards from it's striking point. The sheer forcewinds created by the blast ripped whatever plants remained up by the roots and debris flew in every direction. Uranus, being closest to the explosive eruption, was whipped into the air and cast to the ground almost two dozen feet away. Antipode managed to ride out the blast braced against the wall, and the other Sailors were fortunate enough to withstand the fierce shockwave of the blast with no injuries. When at last the dust began to clear, a giant crater sat in the middle of the decimated grand gardens, dipping down at least five feet into the terrain. Uranus, still clinging with one hand on her injury, slowly raised her head and looked over at Antipode, as did the other Sailors. A weak smirk decorated Sailor Antipode's features... then suddenly her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she dropped limply to the ground.

Several moments passed in total silence, then Neptune and Mercury quickly rushed over to Uranus. Pluto slowly, cautiously, walked over to Antipode, skirting the edge of the crater, and Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn followed close behind. Pluto knelt down next to Sailor Antipode and examined her.

"She collapsed of energy depletion." Pluto surmised. "That last attack took all of her strength out of her. She won't be giving us any more trouble tonight."

  
  


At a distance, looking down upon the scene, a dark phantom with a long cape and long stranding hair observed as the battle came to it's conclusion. He'd watched from this point, hovering effortlessly in the air high above the Crystal Palace, an onlooker as the epic conflict played out in it's vast, but quick and decisive, array of actions and force. He'd made precautions to keep from being detected, whether by the warriors below or by any technology of the castle's. His crimson-red eyes searched the scene below, both fierceness and intellectual prowess displayed in his gaze by the very nature and shape of his face. Alongside him floated another shadow, the girl clad in her usual dark attire including her infamous Living Garb, the cloak she named Nova, ironically the source of their present invisibility. The girl's deep black eyes likewise had watched the scenario below unfold, although with the cold solidity and likewise the gleam of dark ice in her neutrality of expression. She had little favor of battle scenes, and less interest in the multi-colored skirt-clad combatants. She could find little but revulsion for them, especially their attire, even the defeated girl whose abilities and apparel she disliked least.

"So, I presume, they are the gallant and elevated 'Sailor Soldiers'. Fha, what tepid company young Evan nowadays keeps." Said she, a half-malicious criticalism in her voice. She turned her gaze to her companion, whose eyes remained downwards at the scene. "What say you; are these not a most ridiculous looking spectacle?"

He nodded, barely moving his head to accomplish the gesture, not removing his gaze, his arms muscular crossed over his chest.

"I cannot detect Evan's energy." Said he, breaking the silence a moment later. His voice was deep and strong, matching his appearance. "The shield must be blocking it out, but even still..." He paused for a moment. "We'll watch from a distance, learn what we can. I'd like to see further how this plays out."

"And the others?"

"If they wish to investigate, let them." His tone indicated that these 'others' would have no assistance in their investigation from him, or her. It seemed, by the very demeanor of his voice, that such a manner was not uncommon practice for him, but was actually an accustomed disposition, part of his being. "Let them do whatever they will."


	9. The Call Goes Out

Chapter 8: The Call Goes Out

  
  


When Neo Queen Serenity and King Darien returned from the diplomatic assembly, they arrived to find Uranus hospitalized with moderate energy-burn injuries and 'Marissa' aka Sailor Antipode being kept in sedation in a cell. The other Sailors discretely filled the king and queen in on what had transpired, although by now the epic battle was common talk in the palace. Evan was safe, and no further signs of the enemy had been detected.

"But we aren't going to be able to keep her unconscious forever." Mercury advised, in reference to Sailor Antipode. "We need to come up with some method of restraining her powers or else she'll become a danger to us very soon."

"Also, chances are she isn't working alone, although she made no references to any allegiances she may have." Pluto added, a deep look of concern on her features. "At this point there's no doubting that she's a genuine Sailor Soldier, but there's something disturbingly different about her powers and appearance. Something I can't entirely put my finger on."

"Pluto, Mercury, you two are in charge of finding or creating some method to restrain her powers." King Darien instructed. "Also, get Jupiter and Uranus to start a full-scale inquiry with the guards and workers as to how this Sailor Antipode slipped past our security perimeter, and to make sure we don't have any traitors."

"I don't think that will be necessary, King Darien." Pluto interjected. "We found a small device, like a wristband, concealed under Sailor Antipode's left glove. It was severely damaged by the attacks we hit her with, but from what we've been able to glean from it's remains it's possible it acted to hide her from our detection methods. Between that and her teleportation abilities, she could easily have gotten in here totally on her own."

"Still, we cannot take any chances. Once Sailor Antipode is safely secured and her powers restrained, Uranus and Jupiter will begin interrogating the palace personnel, just to be safe." Darien directed, and Mercury and Pluto both bowed slightly in acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, Neo Queen Serenity had harbored a worried look on her face during the preceding conversation. Once Darien finished talking, she quickly inserted her own thoughts and instructions.

"It seems events have irreparably pushed us to try and figure out the mysteries behind Evan quicker than I would have liked. Necessity, and the security of the kingdom, demands it." She paused for a moment, solidifying her thoughts. "Beginning tomorrow, Uranus and Jupiter will begin teaching Evan what he needs to know to defend himself; relay to them this instruction. Also, once Sailor Antipode is no longer a potential risk, I want whichever Sailor Scouts will take the task to begin interrogating her. At this point, what we don't know can kill us. Knowing our opposition is key to protecting our people."

"Agreed. The sooner we know what we're up against, the more effectively we can rebuff and counter further dangers." Mercury agreed.

"Also... I'm going to attempt to call in for reinforcements,... who hopefully can also help Evan." Serena paused once more, longer this time, trying to remember something. She then turned to Pluto. "Do you remember the details of Evan's nightmare? I cannot help feeling that the images in that dream are crucial to understanding him."

"Only Jupiter, Neptune, and Uranus heard Evan tell it the first time, my liege." Pluto replied. "Perhaps it would be best if Evan himself were to retell it. Doubtless he can give much greater detail than any of us could second-hand."

"Please send for the boy immediately." Serena instructed, and Pluto bowed and departed. Mercury stayed, an insistent expression on her face. Serena regarded her friend warmly, half-knowing what Amy would ask her. "Yes Mercury, what is it?"

"Neo Queen Serenity, if I may inquire, who do you mean for reinforcements?"

"... the Sailor Stars may be able to provide us with information about our new enemies. I can only assume that they have a far broader understanding of the Sailor Soldiers of our galaxy and perhaps a certain degree of knowledge about Sailors beyond our galaxy. Certainly they can be of great help to us, but I'll need to find a way to contact them." Neo Queen Serenity stated.

A few minutes later, Pluto accompanied Evan into the throne room. Darien and Serena quickly walked over to them and asked Evan to retell his nightmare.

He nodded and began. "It was horrible. I don't know where exactly I was, but there were these giant sheers of rock and a thick fog." Evan began. "I could feel a wind blowing against me, but I could also sense it in my mind. Nothing else seemed effected by the wind. Then someone called my name and I spun around to see a man standing on one of the rock peaks. He had a long cape and carried a scythe, but other than that I couldn't make out anything about him. The wind seemed to effect him, like it did me. Then I noticed two other people standing at the base of the rock, but I couldn't make out much about them, except that the wind wasn't effecting them, wasn't even near them. And then there were four lights: red, blue, white, and dark purple."

Suddenly, Pluto gasped and her eyes went wide. "The amulet! The gems on it are the same colors as the lights in Evan's dream."

"There seems to be a connection." Neo Queen Serenity stated. "Evan, please, go on."

"Well, I thought I saw the outline of a person in each of the lights,... but I can't be sure. Then someone else called my name, and I spun around to see this giant black object floating in the sky, but I couldn't tell what it was because of the fog. And there was someone standing nearby, too. It's hard to explain how he looked to me, like as if there was something else co-habiting the same area as him, something dark and shadowy and... strange. I couldn't fully make it out. And then there was a flash... and someone exactly like me was standing right in front of me, but he was different. He had on all black clothes, and a black cape that was blowing opposite the wind. When he arrived, all the rocks were gone, but not the fog. And the other people were gone too. He,... seemed almost untouchable, like as if he wasn't even human. I shouted out 'who are you?' and he repeated me, then pointed straight at me and repeated it again. Electricity started building on his arm and hand and I was scared stiff, but I couldn't run away. Then everything was gone... and I was falling through the stars. And all the phantoms from my dream were encircling me, but they wouldn't let me see what they looked like. And then there was total blackness... and this laughter from far away... and a horrible... presence of fear," Evan began to tremble slightly, almost as if he were reliving the nightmare. "... And then something inside me, a creature, I don't know what, began tearing me apart. And that's when I woke up."

There was a long pause, where everyone absorbed what they had heard. Even just hearing Evan retell the dream had sent a chill up Neo Queen Serenity's spine; there was no doubting the significancy of a nightmare such as this. Evan himself seemed significantly shaken by what he'd just said, and with good reason no doubt.

"Evan,... do you remember what it was that Sailor Antipode told you? It might be important to helping us figure out why she was after you." Darien questioned. Evan nodded.

"She said I was part of some prophecy... that I was someone called the Shadow Knight. And she said there were others working with her. She said it was my destiny."

"Anything else?"

Evan shook his head. He knew nothing else.

  
  


Two days would pass before another large-scale event occurred. Pluto and Mercury were able to use modified particle field technology to effectively neutralize Sailor Antipode's powers, so long as she remained in her prison cell. Neo Queen Serenity used the Silver Crystal to transmit her message 'telepathically', so to speak, sending the thoughts she wished to convey echoing off into space in the direction of the three stars with which the Sailor Stars were associated. Within that message, she relayed information about Evan and his nightmare, sealing the 'transmission' with the signature of the three stars so that only they would receive it and be able to hear it. Evan began his combat training under Uranus and Jupiter which, like almost everything else he'd put his hand to since arriving, he seemed to have a great deal of talent and natural skill for. His weapon of choice became obvious from the start, and Neo Queen Serenity considered returning the mysterious katana, and it's companion pendant, to their amnestic owner, but held them back for the moment. Still, despite his combat training, Evan remained without any sign of special abilities linked to his innate energy.

Then the messages began to come in.

  
  


The first was a reply from the Sailor Stars, arriving as an echoing voice in Neo Queen Serenity's mind while she was standing out on the balcony of her and Darien's royal suite. It was Sailor Star Fighter's voice:

Greetings to you, Neo Queen Serenity. We received your message and will come to earth as soon as possible. The other Sailor Stars and I have been given Princess Kakyu's permission to assist you in this matter to the fullness of our ability. Also, I believe that we may have important information regarding the boy and your new enemies, but I dare not reveal things such as that over long-distance communication. We will be with you shortly, and we'll be brining Sailor Soldiers who can help unravel this mystery.

Neo Queen Serenity, Serena, my friend, guard the boy with your life until we arrive. It is crucial that he not fall into the enemy's hands.

  
  


The second message was not to be of such good report.

Early the second day, one of the soldiers entered the throne room with dire, urgent information to relay directly to the king and queen. The man quickly bowed to one knee, and then, breathing hard from having run all the way from the gate to the throne room, he blurted out his message as best he could.

"My lieges... (huff, gasp) five Sa-(wheeze, gasp) Sailor Soldiers,... outside (deep breath) requesting audience with you!"

Serena and Darien's eyes went wide and Darien requested of the guard what the Sailors looked like. The man recovered his second wind then responded in as much detail as he could muster.

"They're wearing black Sailor Scout outfits, like what the prisoner, Sailor Antipode, wears. They say that they've come to negotiate her release and say that they'll only speak with the king and queen concerning the matter."

"What should we do, Darien?" Serena half-whispered.

"It seems Sailor Antipode's allies have finally revealed themselves." Darien mused bleakly. He then looked up at the guard. "Gather the Sailor Scouts, Evan, and a full assembly of the royal guard, and place a full unit of soldiers guarding Antipode's cell. Once all that is in place, send thirty guards to escort them in, weapons ready. We take no chances with enemies within our gates."

"Yes sir!" The guard saluted, then rushed back out , echoing Darien's orders to other soldiers as he rushed down the hall. Darien turned to Serena, a calm but serious look in his features.

"Rini would be safest here with us, especially if these other Sailors have the same teleportation ability that Antipode has."

"And Evan also." Serena nodded in agreement.

Within ten minutes, the full assembly of guards and Sailor Soldiers, including Evan, were gathered in the throne room, prepared for the worst. Everyone waited nervously, all eyes fixed on the door to the throne room. Uranus gripped the handle of her sword tighter as the seconds ticked by, mentally preparing herself to counter anything remotely resembling an attack. Saturn's glaive materialized at a though in front of her, and she swiftly wrapped her fingers around the shaft and grasped in readiness. Pluto was already ready with her garnet scepter, and Darien quickly materialized his armor and broadsword. The Amazon Quartet and Rini transformed into Scout forms and got ready.

Several minutes later, the doors to the throne room were opened.

"Announcing...-"The guard stuttered, not knowing how to describe the several female warriors behind him. He was interrupted as one of the five pushed him aside in annoyance.

"We'll do our own introductions, thanks." Stated the Sailor Soldier in the lead. Her outfit followed the same pattern as Sailor Antipode's, with long black gold-scrolled gloves, the band-like silver tiara with the black star gem, and the long black boots with golden trim. She and the four warriors behind her stepped brazenly forwards into the very center of the throne room, silently defying the assembly of protection by stepping right into the line of fire. Her long black hair fell loosely about halfway down her back, and, like Antipode and the others behind her, her eyes were an unnatural purple color, only hers slightly darker than Antipode's eyes. Her Sailor outfit was primarily black, with dark purple trim on both her skirt and shoulder fold, and all black bows and ribbons. She folded her arms casually as she looked directly at Neo Queen Serenity. "So, I finally get to meet the infamous Sailor Moon face to face. But enough pleasantries. I am Sailor Nightshade, Sailor Soldier of shrouded darkness, champion of the star Nightshade."

"I am Sailor Solaris, Sailor Soldier of starlight and aurora," Stated the Scout to Nightshade's immediate left. Her hair was a strange mix of silver and black streaks, cut short and arrayed so that it fell at less than shoulder length like a curtain, covering her ears. Her Sailor outfit was like Nightshade's and Antipode's, only with silver bows and ribbons and bronze colored skirt and shoulder fold. Her purple eyes were almost pink or stained-white alabaster in hue, and unlike Nightshade, whose low-pitched voice seemed to command respect, Solaris' voice was likened to a little girl, soft and quiet with a hint of melody. "Champion of the star Solaris."

"I am Sailor Omen," The Sailor on Nightshade's right announced. Her voice was similar to Pluto's, but with a somewhat darker, more ominous tone, as of a prophet of some sinister fate or event. She held loosely with one hand a long, slender-bladed nodachi roughly as long as Saturn's glaive, and the color scheme of her outfit was dark blue skirt and shoulder piece with dark-gray trim, bows, and ribbons. Her purple eyes bordered on black, and her deep-chestnut hair was cut to fall just below her shoulders, held up in the back by a strange clip with ancient writing on it in very small crimson symbols. "Portended of the coming shadows. I am the chosen one of the star Omen."

"I am Sailor Apollyon, champion of the star Apollyon." On Omen's immediate right stood a Sailor with forest-green skirt and shoulder fold and crimson-colored trim, bows, and ribbons. Attached at her waist and seemingly sewn into the fabric of her Sailor outfit somehow was a long, thin sword sheath, the dark-blue handle with it's glistening ruby in the center and curved hand guard hinting at the type and design of the weapon within. Her hair was a dirty-blonde mix of bronze and gold colored strands, and her eyes like the others were purple, only Apollyon's hinted at a slight red tint that added an even more unnatural, fierce aspect to her appearance.

"I am Sailor Mirage, champion of the star Mirage." Added the final of the five Sailors. Her outfit had pure-white skirt and shoulder fold with light-blue trim, bows, and ribbons. Her hair was an odd off-white color and her eyes, like Solaris', bordered on pink.

"We're here to secure the return of Sailor Antipode and to warn you, Neo Queen Serenity, not to withhold him from us." She pointed casually towards Evan, though her eyes remained on Serena. "Both are rightfully to be under our care, and we will not permit your meddling with the prophecy of the Shadow Knight."

"What prophecy?" Darien asked. "And more importantly, what do you think gives you the right to deceive Evan in order to fulfill it?"

"We've done no such thing." Nightshade retorted firmly. "Whether you know it or not, every word Sailor Antipode spoke to Evan was truth."

"So then it's 'truth' that we are Evan's enemies, and that I specifically am after nothing more than his powers??" Serena returned. "Nothing could be farther from the truth, and you are well aware of it!"

"Unfortunately, you don't even know your own mistake. Both things are true." She motioned to Omen, then returned her gaze to Darien and Serena. "You wish to know the prophecy of the Shadow Knight, correct? Sailor Omen is an elite in the understanding of prophecy; she will explain things to you."

"We're listening." Darien stated reservedly.

Sailor Omen took three steps forward, closed her eyes for a long moment almost as if in a trance, and then began to slowly trace the blade of her nodachi in the air, leaving thin glowing lines of energy that hung in the air and began to form symbols as she continued. "The ancient prophecy of the Shadow Knight traces the history of the existence of Sailor Soldiers from ages of old to eras close at hand. The tale, writ in one of the universe's many lost languages, begins with the forging of the first Sailor Soldiers in the midst of warring nations struggling with one another across the length and breath of the galaxy. It was a time of the beginning of the great darkness. Sailor Soldiers, created by various nations as superhuman incarnations of the stars and the stars' powers, took the fighting that had been going on to new levels and eventually, after the destruction of countless planets and lives, both the war and the civilizations that precluded it simply disbanded, and an age of lawlessness and desolation began. Those Sailors that remained, for the most part, went into seclusion, too horrified and shocked at the effect their actions and powers had wrought on the galaxy to fight ever again. Three centuries passed as the galaxy existed in this state, and then Queen Serenity united and healed the broken cosmos under the rule of her Silver Millennium." She then paused to look up at Neo Queen Serenity as the symbols began to take form and circle her. Serena suddenly realized that the small glowing symbols, now nearly a hundred in number, were actually circles that contained the signs of Sailor Soldiers; she could clearly locate her own crescent moon symbol, and had spotted those of Mercury and Mars as well. Omen continued. "The prophecy also predicted the fall of the Silver Millennium, identifying it as 'the terrible day' when 'the peace that became champion' was 'swept away' by 'the darkness that comes in like a flood'." With that, the glowing Sailor symbols suddenly scattered themselves across the open stretch of the throne room and faded into nonexistence, a chilling representation of Omen's words.

"It is a shame your mother did not heed the words of this prophecy, Sailor Moon." Omen stated after a long pause. "Then again, heeded or not, she could not have changed it. After that, the prophecy seems to almost pause as the time between the fall of the Silver Millennium and your encounter with the Galaxy Cauldron..." Omen's voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "Pass... in silence. The next line of the prophecy identifies a 'one brightest star' that 'holds evil in delay'." With that, Omen held up a single hand as a sparkle of energy began to form the shape of a crescent moon, then just as quickly faded. " 'But how long?', asks the next line of the prophecy." She looked directly at Serena. "No doubt,... a question you have asked yourself many times, Neo Queen Serenity."

"As long as I live there will be peace!" Serena returned, her voice raised in defense. Omen half-smiled in an amused way, and continued as if Serena had never spoken.

"From that point forward, the prophecy deals with the events of the near future. There will be 'stars' that shall betray the natural order, followed by a continuation of the ever-present war between light and darkness. But . . . there is an 'external factor', that will cause this conflict to bring final conclusion to the struggle between the stars of light, the Galaxy Cauldron and Chaos, and the dark stars that dwell within the Cauldron. It is written in the prophecy: 'And then, unaided by the stars, shall arise a warrior of the storm. A Shadow Knight, a Scion Prince, the Tempest Given Mortal Form. And he alone can calm the storm.' He," Omen now turned her cold, emotionless gaze on Evan. "Is the Shadow Knight, the one spoken of in the prophecy."

"And that is why we cannot allow Evan to remain here. His place is with us; we have been appointed to prepare him to fulfill his destiny." Nightshade affirmed, half-glaring at Neo Queen Serenity. "Release Antipode and allow the Shadow Knight to go with us, Sailor Moon; because we will not allow you to interfere with that which has been foretold."

"Foretold by whom?!" Darien rebuffed, standing up and grasping the handle of his sword. "What good reason is there to believe you're not making this up??"

"The prophecy was foretold during the age of warfare that preceded the age of desolation and the Silver Millennium, by the Sailor Soldier of the star Oracle," Omen stated, then paused for a moment. "My twin sister."

"Twin sister?!" Pluto exclaimed in utter disbelief. "Impossible! That would mean you had been born-"

"During the War of the Stars, yes." Omen cut Pluto off mid-sentence. "My sister and I were amongst the Sailors whose bodies were destroyed during that war, and our crystals cast into the Galaxy Cauldron in a half-baked attempt to revive us. But, in the end, the Galaxy Cauldron did revive us, or, more correctly, Sailor Moon's actions revived us. Oracle, and myself, are Sailor Soldiers of the First Genesis, the original generation of living stars called Sailors. However,... Oracle and I have gone our separate ways, and there are but few other First Genesis Sailors that were reawakened by Sailor Moon and the Galaxy Cauldron. If there are still others... then it's likely their crystals have been lost amongst the void of space and all it contains."

"But that doesn't mean anything." Darien retorted. "Evan is not going to be handed over to you, and Sailor Antipode will stay here until we see fit."

"Oh really? Why not let the Shadow Knight decide for himself?" Nightshade proposed.

"Because I've already decided." Evan suddenly spoke up. All eyes turned on him.

"You don't understand; your purpose is with us." Solaris stated.

"No; I won't go with you. I've made my decision."

"You can't ignore the prophecy, Evan. You cannot remain here!" Nightshade stated.

"And why not?"

Everyone paused at the sound of the unexpected masculine voice that echoed in from a distance, and almost as if one the entire assembly turned in the direction it had come. Serena gasped in surprise as she saw them, Evan froze in place with his eyes wide in shock, Nightshade and the other visiting Sailors quickly assumed defensive postures. It was hard to believe that anyone could have entered the room unnoticed, not to mention gotten to a spot like that totally undetected.

Four figures stood upon a small ledge high up near the throne room's ceiling, apparently having been looking down at those assembled for some time. They were a unique looking group indeed; one wore a long black trench coat over what appeared to be some form of modernized deep-blue chest armor matched up with black pants, another dressed in darkest-green ninja garb with gold-colored bands wrapped in a checkered pattern tightly on her lower arms and legs as well as a thick band of the golden fabric tied about her waist, a third clad in medieval/mystical looking ice-blue armor and a long wide white cape, and the fourth wearing what looked like a sleeveless red jumpsuit with red and orange fire-design headband and short cape. Before anyone could do anything, the four swiftly leapt off the ledge and in the blink of an eye they were standing alongside one another facing the enemy Sailors, standing directly in-between where Evan was and Sailor Nightshade's group. Now that they were closer, it was possible to distinguish their features more clearly. The trench coat wearing warrior had short red hair with long bangs that fell in front of his deep-set black eyes ever so slightly, the female ninja appeared to have deep-green eyes and her hair was hidden behind her facial mask, the knight-apparent had blonde hair with green eyes, and the flame girl had long black hair and blue eyes. All three retained a completely calm, almost untouchable expression as they stared down Nightshade's Sailors.

"Who in the world are they?" Venus exclaimed in surprise.

"That's what I'd like to know." Nightshade stated. "Just who are you four freaks and what right do you think you have to interfere with this meeting?"

The guards and Sailor Scouts were ready at a moment's notice to lunge forwards into battle, but Evan was frozen where he stood, his gaze locked on the four individuals. His jaw hung loosely as a million thoughts barraged his mind. What was this... this power that he felt from these four? And what's more,... it was almost like he knew who they were, almost. A flood of half-chaotic memories suddenly flashed through the forefront of his mind, images he didn't understand: battles and places, images, faces,... thoughts and words and sentences. It almost knocked him over by the sheer suddenness of it all, and he quickly reached for one of the nearby pillars of stone and braced himself against it for support. What... what was this...

"We have every right." The man in the trench coat stated, his voice hinting at a slight military tone from somewhere in his past.

"We are Evan's guardians and his friends. We will not allow you to interfere with his choices." Added the fire-girl, cracking her knuckles as she glared at Nightshade.

"As for this 'prophecy' of thine, tis' naught to allow thee to make demands." The knight's Olde' English accent was clearly different from the speech of his comrades. "So go thy way peacefully else we shall do what we must."

There was a long pause, during which Nightshade and her group's gaze shifted uncertainly between the four newcomers and the royal monarchs. When both Serena and Darien refrained from saying anything, Nightshade folded her arms stubbornly and glared at the intruders.

"Very well; we didn't come here to start a fight." Nightshade announced unflinchingly. "But Evan can't run from his destiny forever." She turned to her group. "We've said what we came to. It's time we left."

"But what about Antipode?" Apollyon half-whispered to her leader, but a glance from Nightshade told her not to further the issue. The five dark Sailor Soldiers exited the throne room without another word, followed quickly by their escort of guards. The foursome then turned to Evan and their expressions changed from the glares of unfearing warriors to the soft gaze of friends.

"Evan, it's been awhile. I'm glad to see you're safe and sound." Greeted the trench coat wearer, who apparently was the leader of this little group.

"When we sensed your signal, we came as quickly as we could, although it took us awhile to locate you. What happened?" Asked the girl with the flame design on her cape.

Evan could only look at them, his expression caught up in the confusion of everything going through his mind and in trying to understand who these people were. The leader of the group, noticing this, gave Evan a perplexed look as if to ask why Evan wasn't saying anything.

"Evan? Are you ok?" The girl asked.

Serena quickly walked over to the group, and their eyes turned on her as she did. She looked at each one of these four sudden visitors, examining their expressions and appearance. What new twist to the mysteries surrounding Evan did these four represent?

"When we found Evan, he had no memory whatsoever." Serena stated by way of explanation. "We've taken care of him here at the palace as soon as he was released from the hospital."

Surprise showed on the faces of all but the female ninja, hers hidden behind her maskings. The group regarded Evan for a moment, then glanced between each other in silent communication. The leader turned to Serena.

"Thank you, your majesty, for taking care of Evan in our absence. My name is Seth, a friend of Evan's from his home universe."

"His... 'home universe'?" Neo Queen Serenity inquired as a sudden realization dawned on her. "You mean, all of you, and Evan, are from a parallel universe?"

He nodded. "These are my comrades and allies: Cetia, Cyrus, and Deserae. In our world, we are known as the Elemental Soldiers, and we are sworn to protect Evan and assist him. Apparently, though..." He turned his head and looked at Evan. "This time we arrived too late. Do you know what caused this to happen to him?"

"No, we don't, unfortunately." She paused, and looked at Evan. "Evan, do you know these people? Do they seem familiar to you at all?"

Evan could only stand there, uncertainty in his eyes, unsure how to answer.

"If I may ask," Spoke the ninja suddenly. "If Evan has lost his memory, how do you know his name? And what happened to the silver pendant with the four crystals?"

Evan suddenly gasped as a realization struck him like lightning.

"You... you're the four lights... from my dream!"


End file.
